South Carolina Congressman Jim Clyburn (D-SC), the House Majority Whip, claimed recently that he had "never opposed" voter identification laws even after vocally condemning voter ID mandates.
Clyburn attempted to do damage control for Democrats who oppose the overwhelmingly popular voter ID laws, but previously referred to the laws as "voter suppression."
Democrat Rep. Jim Clyburn says “no Democrat has ever been against voter ID.”
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) July 13, 2021
Clyburn called voter ID “voter suppression” in October. pic.twitter.com/9ESr1faNBs
Long voting lines.
— James E. Clyburn (@WhipClyburn) October 23, 2020
Closed polling locations.
Voter ID laws.
They're all voter suppression.
Tune in as I'm joined by @JointCenter president @SpencerOverton to continue the conversation about why we must secure the right to vote for ALL Americans. https://t.co/fmHIQPsYta
Clyburn even likened a voting bill signed by then-Governor Nikki Haley (R-SC) to "Jim Crow." The Washington Post fact-checker took note of Clyburn's absurd claim and awarded him 4-Pinocchios for his gaslighting.
“Clyburn is trying to have his cake and eat it, too. He routinely decries “voter ID” laws, but at the same time he insisted on Fox News that he has never opposed such laws — and that every Democrat has supported them. In reality, he appears to be against many types of voter ID laws — ones that require photos, or a fee for a photo or which favor one voting group over another,” the fact-check reads. “In other words, he’s playing word games. He supposedly is for voter identification but against most of the voter ID laws being adopted by states. Perhaps his contradictory response may be related to the broad support photo ID requirements have in public polling. He appears to want people to think he agrees with the majority even when he is fighting against such laws.”
Clyburn's claim comes as Democrats are leading a full-on misinformation campaign on voting laws passed in red states by likening voter ID requirements to voter discrimination. The Biden administration is currently suing the state of Georgia for its newly-enacted election integrity law, even after the Supreme Court upheld a similar law in Arizona.