With nine months remaining before the midterm elections, CNN En Español joined their English-language counterparts in their scramble to demonize the “new restrictive voting laws” put in place by 19 states, depicting them as power-grabbing Republican chicanery. This time, the rhetoric aired over a Directo USA newscast on voting integrity highlighted a report from The Brennan Center for Justice at New York University School of Law.
This exchange that aired on February 18, 2022, features the sole opinion of liberal CNN contributor Roberto Izurieta, a professor at the George Washington University in Washington, D.C., who dismisses laws that protect election integrity and ban ballot harvesting as "anti-democratic":
JUAN CARLOS LÓPEZ: In the midst of the looming electoral process in the United States, there are Republican-controlled states that have taken steps to, they say, protect election integrity. But analysts and experts in the field say that they have another goal; to stay in power.
ISABEL MORALES: Among the restrictions in those states, according to the analysis, are new requirements to vote by mail, restrictions on sending ballots by mail, restrictions on who can vote by mail, among others.
ROBERTO IZURIETA: Most of these illegal electoral moves are intended to reduce the participation of certain segments of the population. Or in ci-- places where it isn't politically expedient for them. In short, it is not democratic and does not facilitate where we should go- to make it easier for people to vote and participate.
MORALES: The question is: how big an impact the restrictions on voting by mail could have on the upcoming November elections if those states sign them into law.
In his introduction, Lopez quickly established a link between election integrity and the Republicans' supposed lust for power: “Republican-controlled states...have taken steps to, according to them, protect the integrity of the election. But analysts and experts in the field say that the goal is another; to stay in power.”
And who exactly are the “analysts and experts in the field? Michael Waldman, for one, President of the "non-partisan" Brennan Center for Justice, who worked for Bill Clinton as speechwriter. He has also written several books about voting rights, including The Fight To Vote where he detailed “the new wave of restrictive voting bills.” Hardly non-partisan.
Add to that, the biased statements from CNN contributor Izurieta, who called voter integrity laws illegal and the Electoral College a power grab in politically unfavorable cities: “Most of these illegal electoral moves are intended to decrease the participation of certain segments of the population. Or in cities where it isn't easier for them politically. In short, it is not democratic and does not encourage where we should go to make it easier for people to vote and participate.”
Most telling was reporter Isabel Morales's closing statement: “The question is how big an impact the restrictions on postal voting could have on the upcoming November elections if those states sign them into law.”
As the midterm elections approach, biased reports like this one are to be expected at CNNEE. Can we also look forward to hearing from "the other side," those who defend voting integrity? Estaremos pendientes: We'll be watching.
CNN En Español's electoral fearmongering was brought to you by Rocket Mortgage. Their information can be found here.
