The journalists at CBS This Morning on Monday parroted Democratic paranoia on Texas’s new proposed voter security law. With very little interest in the Republican side, guest co-host Adriana Diaz, warned, “In Texas the state legislature is set to vote this week on two restrictive voting bills. The legislation moved forward yesterday after a heated debate. Critics say the measures unfairly harm black voters.”
Talking to a Democrat in the state, reporter Mireya Villarreal tossed this softball: “Democratic House Representative Erin Zwiener believes the push for tighter voting restrictions is based on fear. Why do you think this has become such a big deal during this session?”
State Rep. Erin Zwiener ranted:
Texans are still struggling in the wake of Covid. We have severe learning disruptions for our students and not a good plan to correct that. And we have trouble even keeping the lights on. So I think they are deathly afraid that Texans are about to figure out that they have better options and are doing everything they can to cling on to power.
Finally, at the very end of the segment, Villarreal allowed a few scant seconds to the Republican response. Talking to State Senator Brian Hughes, who wrote the bill, she sounded much tougher than when talking to the Democrats:
Republican state Senator Brian Hughes wrote the Senate bill. Democrats will say this is more about the idea that the election was stolen back in November and that these restrictions are being put in place to punish voters moving forward.
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A transcript is below. Click “expand” to read more.
CBS This Morning
7/12/2021
7:16:44 to 7:19:06
ADRIANA DIAZ: Back here in the U.S. in Texas the state legislature is set to vote this week on two restrictive voting bills. The legislation moved forward yesterday after a heated debate. Critics say the measures unfairly harm black voters. Mireya Villarreal has more from Austin.
MIREYA VILLARREAL: Democratic House Representative Erin Zwiener believes the push for tighter voting restrictions is based on fear. Why do you think this has become such a big deal during this session?
ERIN ZWIENER (D-TX state rep): Texans are still struggling in the wake of Covid. We have severe learning disruptions for our students and not a good plan to correct that. And we have trouble even keeping the lights on. So I think they are deathly afraid that Texans are about to figure out that they have better options and are doing everything they can to cling on to power.
VILLARREAL: Bills filed by Republican senate senators would include new I.D. requirements for people voting by mail, ban 24-hour voting and drive-through voting sites, and increase criminal penalties for election officials or people assisting voters.
UNIDENTIFIED: What we see today is greater suppression and legislation to provide less access to the polls.
VILLARREAL: Hundreds of Texans from across the state flocked to the Capitol over the weekend and gave public testimonies in marathon all-night hearings.
ZWIENER: Texas already has some of the most restrictive voting laws in the country. And this is going to create even more hurdles to people voting.
BRIAN HUGHES (Republican state senator): It's a common sense reform bill that's going to help every Texan vote.
VILLARREAL: Republican state Senator Brian Hughes wrote the Senate bill. Democrats will say this is more about the idea that the election was stolen back in November and that these restrictions are being put in place to punish voters moving forward.
HUGHES: Senate Bill 1 is about protecting voters from folks trying to steal their votes, from ballot harvesters, from unscrupulous workers, folks trying to mislead, literally steal ballots. That happens. Still happens.
VILLARREAL: Democrats were able to block a similar set of restricted bills earlier this year by staging a walkout. They say are considering that again as well as other options. But the lieutenant governor here in Texas says if that happens, he will step in and make sure he protects the legislative process. Anthony?
