Saunders decries ‘partisan gamesmanship’ of voting rights filibuster

WASHINGTON — AFSCME President Lee Saunders issued the following statement slamming Mitch McConnell and his caucus for refusing to engage in debate about protecting and expanding voting rights for all Americans:

“The right to vote is the fundamental bedrock of our democracy, but shamefully Mitch McConnell and his caucus are choosing to put partisan gamesmanship above the rights and freedoms of millions of Americans – especially the poor, older Americans and people of color.

“AFSCME’s 1.4 million members believe everyone deserves a voice and a seat at the table, not just the privileged few. That’s why AFSCME supports the For The People Act, and we will continue to organize and mobilize to ensure that voting rights are not just protected but expanded.

“We commend Senator Schumer for moving this bill forward, so that Americans know where their elected leaders stand, so everyone can see who wants to rig the political system further and who wants to make political participation easier.”