Vermont Senator and potential 2020 Democratic candidate Bernie Sanders doubled-down on his insistence that convicted felons be allowed to vote from prison Wednesday; saying Republican opposition to his policy is simply an attempt to “deny people of color.”
“If you are an American citizen, even if you do something terrible… we cannot take away your right to vote whether you’re in jail, whether you’ve left jail. Clearly what Republicans are doing is trying to deny people of color the right to vote,” said Sanders at the US Capitol.
Sen. Bernie Sanders: "If you are an American citizen, even if you do something terrible… we cannot take away your right to vote whether you're in jail, whether you've left jail. Clearly what Republicans are doing is trying to deny people of color the right to vote." pic.twitter.com/LtsZ3emHnQ
— The Hill (@thehill) May 1, 2019
The Senator stunned the audience during a televised town hall debate last week when he said convicted terrorists -like the Boston Marathon bomber- have the right to vote in local and national elections while serving their prison sentences.
BERNIE: Boston Marathon Bomber Has ‘Right to Vote’ from Death Row to Create ‘Vibrant Democracy’
Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders doubled-down on his proposal to allow convicted felons to vote from federal prisons Monday night; saying Dzhokhar Tsarnaev -the Boston Marathon Bomber- should be “enfranchised” to protect a “vibrant democracy.”
Sen. Bernie Sanders says the right to vote should be extended "even for terrible people" https://t.co/M3U37R21GK #SandersTownHall pic.twitter.com/5wmhSdvrRj
— CNN (@CNN) April 23, 2019
“You have said that you believe that people with felony records should be allowed to vote while in prison. Does this mean that you would support enfranchising people like the Boston Marathon bomber?” asked an audience member during Monday’s town hall event.
“I believe in creating a vibrant democracy… If somebody commits a serious crime- sexual assault, murder, they’re gonna be punished. They may be in jail for 10 years, 20 years, 50 years, their whole lives. That’s what happens when you commit a serious crime,” said Sanders.
“But, I think the right to vote is inherent to our democracy. Yes, even for terrible people,” he added.
GRAHAM SLAM: Lindsey Graham BLASTS Bernie’s Proposal to Allow Mass Shooters to Vote from Prison
Sen. Lindsey Graham blasted Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders Tuesday after the potential presidential candidate claimed the Boston Marathon bomber and others should have the “right to vote” from prison.
“Just when you thought it couldn’t get worse….@BernieSanders supports allowing rapists, murderers, and terrorists – like the Boston bomber and Dylan Roof, the individual who massacred 9 church-goers in Charleston, to vote from prison,” posted Graham on social media.
“I look forward to hearing his explanation — in South Carolina — why Dylan Roof should be allowed to vote in the upcoming elections,” he added.
I look forward to hearing his explanation — in South Carolina — why Dylan Roof should be allowed to vote in the upcoming elections.
— Lindsey Graham (@LindseyGrahamSC) April 23, 2019
Sanders made national headlines Monday night during his televised town hall event when he said rapists, murderers, and other convicted felons should take part in national elections.
Thank you for visiting