*Yesterday, California Rep. Barbara Lee called to speak with SiriusXM Urban View host Laura Coates about the 2020 race and election meddling.
During the interview, Representative Lee told Coates: “There are so many reasons why we must vote for the Biden-Harris ticket, regardless of what perspective you’re coming from it’s important if you really want to make sure that our democracy is not, actually dismantled, and this administration and you see how he has operated and who he is, in terms of his dictatorial approaches to government, dismantling all of the apparatus of government.”
Congresswoman Lee shared her reaction on the recent decision to no longer provide in person election briefings for congress: “I am outraged over this because first of all, this is just another effort to take away people’s rights to vote. But secondly, when you try to shut down information, when you’re trying to keep information from elected officials who people elect that is once again, a sign that this democracy is in jeopardy. And so people need to be outraged about this because we have to have this information. This is another example of how the three branches of government now are being blurred by this administration. We have three branches, right? Judiciary, the Executive and the Legislative branch. That’s what our constitutional and the Founding Fathers required. Now, you see this administration tried to shut down every branch except the administrative branch. And so I’d say this is another example of the dangers to our democracy, the dangers of not providing the information to elected officials so that we can make informed decisions about upholding people’s constitutional rights. It’s a shame and disgrace, and we’re going to have to get to the bottom of it. And I know that we’re looking at how to really take this on so that they can reverse this decision, because this is outrageous and it’s very, un-American.”
Rep. Barbara Lee:
As a progressive African American woman, there is no option. I don’t believe in terms of this election, we have got to elect the Biden-Harris ticket. We know and when you just look at, for example, police misconduct and police murders, this administration Donald Trump specifically really does not acknowledge the systemic racism, is part of the systems in this country. Whereas the Biden-Harris team, they very clearly understand this. The Vice Presidential nominee, Kamala Harris, she has led on the George Floyd Justice and Policing Act in the Senate. She understands why we have to move forward, not with tinkering around the edges in terms of just reforms of specifically, but why we must get to the core of what structural reforms and structural changes really mean. And so we have no option. Secondly, the fact that we know that there’s Russian interference and foreign interference in these elections, should terrify everyone and should really compel us to vote because we see that this administration really encourages that, and has not turned its back and has not condemned Russian interference. They know what’s going on, and they’re actually trying to deceive us once again and trying to keep the information from becoming public. They don’t you want us to vote. When you look at what they’re doing with the postal service, and we passed our bill putting $25 billion into the postal service, which the postal board of governors, all Trump appointees that needed to happen to ensure that the postal service is not sabotaged and that the postal service functions. This administration is trying to take away our constitutional right to vote. There are so many reasons why we must vote for the Biden-Harris ticket, regardless of what perspective you’re coming from it’s important if you really want to make sure that our democracy is not, actually dismantled, and this administration and you see how he has operated and who he is, in terms of his dictatorial approaches to government, dismantling all of the apparatus of government. Remember Steve Bannon said their goal was to dismantle to the administrative state. That means getting rid of government, that’s putting us on the brink of fascism. And so we have got to really recognize that this election, it is the most important election of our lifetime, but more than that, if this election is a matter of life and death for so many, and you can just look at how this administration has not handled the COVID-19 pandemic that’s led to so many, so many tragic deaths of disproportionately African-Americans and people of color.
Host, Laura Coates:
You know, it’s so important that you keep talking about the idea of, and it’s important for us to continue to have these conversations Congresswoman Barbara Lee, about not only the importance of voting, but also the hurdles that have been put in place just recently. And before I let you go, I have one final question, and we’re seeing reports, this morning coming out and over the weekend about how there has now been a decision to no longer provide in person briefings about election security. And we are aware that there has been efforts in the past from Russia and other countries, primarily Russia, to try to interfere with the elections. How are you feeling about the idea of not having the ability for members of Congress like yourself to have this information about the security of our elections, particularly when you see what’s happening with the postal service and the president’s views towards mail in ballots?
Rep. Barbara Lee:
I am outraged over this because first of all, this is just another effort to take away people’s rights to vote. But secondly, when you try to shut down information, when you’re trying to keep information from elected officials who people elect that is once again, a sign that this democracy is in jeopardy. And so people need to be outraged about this because we have to have this information. This is another example of how the three branches of government now are being blurred by this administration. We have three branches, right? Judiciary, the Executive and the Legislative branch. That’s what our constitutional and the Founding Fathers required. Now, you see this administration tried to shut down every branch except the administrative branch. And so I’d say this is another example of the dangers to our democracy, the dangers of not providing the information to elected officials so that we can make informed decisions about upholding people’s constitutional rights. And, it’s a shame and disgrace, and we’re going to have to get to the bottom of it. And I know that we’re looking at how to really take this on so that they can reverse this decision, because this is outrageous and it’s very, un-American.
source: SiriusXM’s The Laura Coates Show.
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