-- Democratic presidential frontrunner Hillary Clinton gave remarks at the Alabama Democrats Convention Saturday afternoon where she called out GOP candidates on voting right laws that she say are “a blast from the Jim Crow past.”
Her visit to Alabama comes the same month Alabama Governor Robert Bentley decided to close 31 DMVs across the state, including in every county where African Americans make up at least 75 percent of the population.
Clinton, who has made voting rights a cornerstone issue in her campaign, called the governor to re-open the offices and said these laws are "constructed today to discourage even intimidate people from voting.”
“It’s time for your governor and legislators to not only listen to their constituents but listen to their conscience about what it means to be a leader,” she said. "Those offices should stay open and not just for one day a month."
Clinton tied Donald Trump and the Koch brothers together, noting that at the end of the day they also only get one vote.
"We may be up against super pacs and billionaires, but when the election comes around, Donald Trump and the Koch brothers, and all their money, only get one vote each just like everybody else,” she said. “One person, one vote. That’s what we believe. No one should be able to take that vote away. That’s why we cannot turn away, close our eyes from all the voting rights.. that are happening right now.”
Clinton also hit Jeb Bush for saying he wouldn’t reinstate the Voting Rights Act, noting that George W. Bush did.
"Now Jeb Bush says he wouldn’t reauthorize the voting rights act,” Clinton said. "I voted to reauthorize the voting rights act when I was in the US senate and President George W Bush signed it so he clearly thought it was still needed and this idea we don’t need it anymore … if the law is working, we should let it keep working.”
Marco Rubio and John Kasich were also targeted by Clinton for not caring about new voting right laws.
"When asked recently about voter ID laws, Rubio replied 'what’s the big deal?' Kasich restricted early voting in Ohio when 77 percent of early voters in the most popular county were African American,” Clinton said. “What part of democracy are these Republicans afraid of? I’ve won elections, and I’ve lost elections, but I sure feel better when as many people as possible show up and raise their voice.”
Hillary Clinton Hits Republican Candidates Over Voting Rights - KMBZ
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