THE MURDER TRIAL OF FORMER POLICE OFFICER DEREK CHAUVIN. TRUST ME, WE WILL GET TO ALL OF THAT AND MORE, BUT WE’RE KICKING OFF THE SHOW WITH THE FIGHT OVER VOTING RIGHTS AND THE BATTLE TO PROTECT THE BEDROCK OF OUR DEMOCRACY. IN JUST A FEW MINUTES, DEMONSTRATORS ARE EXPECTED AT THE MASTERS GOLF TOURNAMENT AT AUGUSTA TO PROTEST GEORGIA’S NEW DRACONIAN VOTING RESTRICTIONS. TEXAS JUST ADVANCED A BILL THAT AMONG OTHER THINGS WOULD MAKE IT A FELONY, YOU HEARD THAT RIGHT, A FELONY FOR AN OFFICIAL TO GIVE A VOTER AN ABSENTEE BALLOT APPLICATION IF THEY DIDN’T REQUEST ONE. AS OF MARCH 24th THEY’VE INTRODUCED 360 VOTER RESTRICTION BILLS IN 47 STATES. IN MANY STATES THESE RESTRICTIONS WILL SPECIFICALLY BE HARD ON BLACK VOTERS. LOOK, I WANT TO MAKE THIS CLEAR. THIS IS NOT JUST IN RESPONSE TO THE 2020 ELECTION AND THE BIG LIE. THE VOTING RIGHTS OF BLACK AMERICANS HAVE BEEN UNDER ATTACK SINCE THE 15th AMENDMENT WAS PASSED, EVEN IF LAWMAKERS DON’T EXPLICITLY SPELL IT OUT, WE SEE YOU. JAMEL BOULIE OF "THE NEW YORK TIMES" WROTE THIS ABOUT THE JIM CROW ERA. THERE WAS NO STATUTE THAT SAID BLACK PEOPLE CANNOT VOTE. INSTEAD, SOUTHERN LAWMAKERS SPUN A WEB OF RESTRICTIONS AND REGULATIONS MEANT TO CATCH MOST BLACKS AS WELL AS MANY WHITES AND KEEP THEM OUT OF THE ELECTORATE. AND IN A THROWBACK TO THAT TIME A WRITER FOR THE CONSERVATIVE NATIONAL REVIEW RECENTLY OPINED THE REPUBLIC MIGHT BE BETTER SERVED BY HAVING FEWER BUT BETTER VOTERS. LIKE WHO, FRIEND? LAND OWNING WHITE FOLKS? BECAUSE THAT SOUNDS VERY FAMILIAR. NOW CORPORATE CRITICISM OF THESE BILLS HAVE SPREAD LIKE WILDFIRE. THIS WAS AFTER THE PUBLIC PRESSURE CAMPAIGNS. THIS UNUSUAL MOVE HAS THE GOP CRYING CANCEL CULTURE. >> I FOUND IT COMPLETELY DISCOURAGING TO FIND A BUNCH OF CORPORATE CEOs GETTING IN THE MIDDLE OF POLITICS. MY ADVICE TO THE CORPORATE CEOs OF AMERICA IS TO STAY OUT OF POLITICS, DON’T PICK SIZE IN THESE BIG FIGHTS. >> NOW McCONNELL LATER WALKED BACK THOSE COMMENTS BECAUSE I GUESS PLAY BOY REMEMBERED JUST HOW MUCH CORPORATIONS DONATE TO HIS CAMPAIGN. JOINING ME NOW IS NEW JERSEY CONGRESSWOMAN BONNIE WATSON COLEMAN AND FERNAND AMANDI AND HOST OF "THE STRANGE DAYS" PODCAST. CONGRESSWOMAN, I WANT TO START WITH YOU. YOU’VE BEEN VERY OUT FRONT ON THIS ISSUE. YOU’VE PENNED A LETTER TO THE DOJ ASKING THEM TO INTERVENE HERE. FOR THE FOLKS AT HOME, THAT’S THE QUESTION. WHAT CAN WE DO? IF IT GOES TO THE COURTS, CONGRESS, OR IF IT GOES TO THE PEOPLE. TELL ME ABOUT THIS LETTER YOU PENNED TO THE DOJ. >> WHEN I SAW THE VOTER SUPPRESSION LAWS CROPPING UP STATE BY STATE BY STATE AND I THOUGHT ABOUT THE CONNECTION BETWEEN WHAT HAS HAPPENED IN TERMS OF PERPETUATION OF LIES WITH REGARD TO THE TRANSPARENCY OF THE LAST ELECTION SINCE THE LAST ELECTION AND I REALIZED THAT THESE WERE BEING -- THIS WAS A COORDINATED EFFORT. IT SCARED ME. IT REMINDED ME OF ALL OF THE SUPPRESSION AND OPPRESSION THAT AFRICAN-AMERICANS IN PARTICULAR HAVE EXPERIENCED IN TRYING TO CAST THEIR VOTES. IT REMINDED ME OF THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT WHEN PEOPLE LOST THEIR LIVES JUST TRYING TO GET THE RIGHT TO VOTE AND SO THIS ESTABLISHED IN MY MIND A PATTERN, A PATTERN THAT WAS USED -- THAT IS GOING TO BE USED TO DISENFRANCHISE US, TO TRY TO BE SELECTIVE ABOUT WHO GETS TO VOTE AND HOW EASY IT GETS FOR SOME PEOPLE TO VOTE AND HOW DIFFICULT IT WILL BE FOR OTHERS TO VOTE. AND SO I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE WERE ADDRESSING THIS, ESPECIALLY BLACK WOMEN, SINCE EVERYONE SAYS WE WERE SO SIGNIFICANT IN THE OUTCOME OF THE ELECTION AND THE OUTCOME OF ORGANIZATIONS AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE, I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE WERE ON THE RECORD EARLY, THAT WE SEE THIS AS A PROBLEM, THAT WE SEE THIS AS A COORDINATED EFFORT AND THAT WE WANT THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT TO LOOK AT IT ALSO TO DETERMINE WHETHER OR NOT ANY OF THESE LAWS OR ANY OF THIS SORT OF COORDINATION REPRESENTS SOME FORM OF CONSPIRACY, WHETHER OR NOT THERE IS A CIVIL ISSUE HERE OR A CRIMINAL ISSUE HERE, BUT WE NEED TO BE ON RECORD THAT WE WILL DO EVERYTHING WE CAN ON OUR PLATFORM TO HOLD HEARINGS, ASK QUESTIONS, DO INVESTIGATIONS. WE’RE GOING TO ASK THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT, THAT IS THE REAL JUSTICE DEPARTMENT NOW TO LOOK TO SEE WHAT LAWS YOU ARE TO BE ENFORCING AND HOW YOU OUGHT TO INTERPRET THE COLLECTIVITY OF THESE LAWS THAT ARE SO SIMILAR BEING OFFERED ACROSS THE STATES. >> WELL, CONGRESSWOMAN, I WANT TO STICK WITH YOU HERE BECAUSE WE ALL HEARD THE SOUND FROM SENATOR JOE MANCHIN THIS WEEK SAYING THAT THERE IS NOTHING HE WOULD DO TO ABOLISH THE FILIBUSTER. SO ESSENTIALLY HE’S STANDING IN THE WAY OF THIS PROGRESS. SO WHEN WE LOOK TO CONGRESS, HR 1, THIS IS ESSENTIALLY FEDERALIZING ELECTIONS WHILE THE DEMOCRATS HOLD THE SLIM MAJORITY. IT DOES NOT STAND A GOOD CHANCE OF PASSING. JOE MANCHIN IS STANDING BETWEEN THIS AND THE PROGRESS WHEN IT COMES TO VOTER SUPPRESSION WHAMPT. WHAT CAN CONGRESS DO? IT SEEMS LIKE HE’S ON A POWER TRIP. MAYBE IT’S TIME TO BE GHOST. YOU MAKE THE POINT OF BLACK WOMEN BEING ON THE FRONT LINES. WHAT CAN WE DO? >> I THINK THAT JOE’S RELATIONSHIP WITH THE OTHER JOE IN THE WHITE HOUSE MIGHT BE VERY HELPFUL IN MOVING FORWARD SOME OF THIS LEGISLATION THAT’S SO VITALLY IMPORTANT. I DON’T THINK THAT SENATOR MANCHIN WOULD KNOWINGLY SUPPORT THE KIND OF VOTER SUPPRESSION AND USE THE INSTITUTIONS OF THE SENATE TO DO THE THINGS STROM THURMOND DID AND TRY TO SUPPRESS THE PARTICIPATION OF AFRICAN-AMERICANS. AND I THINK THAT AT THE END OF THE DAY WE’LL BE ABLE TO WORK OUT SOMETHING WITH MR. MANCHIN. >> I HOPE YOU’RE RIGHT BECAUSE KNOWINGLY OR UNKNOWINGLY, THE OUTCOME IS STILL THE SAME. SO, FERNAND, LET ME TURN TO YOU ON THIS. SOMETHING THAT’S BEEN VERY FRUSTRATING TO ME IS THIS CONVERSATION AROUND HR 1 AND THESE VOTER SUPPRESSION LEGISLATION BILLS THAT ARE COMING UP THAT WE NEED TO MAKE THE BILL MORE PALATABLE. I HAVE TO TELL YOU, FERNAND, I HAVE ZIPPY INTEREST IN MAKING MY RIGHT TO VOTE PALATABLE TO ANYBODY, FORMER GOP OPERATIVES OR CURRENT GOP OPERATIVES WHO THINK THEIR OPINIONS MATTER IN THIS. WHAT DO YOU SAY TO PEOPLE WHO SAY YOU CAN PASS THIS LEGISLATION, JUST MAKE US MORE COMFORTABLE WITH IT? >> TIFFANY, I THINK IT’S IMPORTANT TO REFLECT ON WHAT THE CONGRESSWOMAN SAID IN HER COMMENTS EARLIER. SHE USED TWO WORDS THAT HIT THE NAIL ON THE HEAD, COORDINATED EFFORT. WHAT THE CONGRESSWOMAN IS SAYING IS THAT THIS IS AN ACTUAL CONSPIRACY BY THE REPUBLICAN PARTY, LET’S CALL OUT THE CULPRITS HERE, BASED ON A FRAUDULENT CONSPIRACY THEORY, WHICH IS JUST A FIG LEAF TO GET AT WHAT’S AT THE HEART OF THIS, RACE AND POWER. GIVEN THE DEMOGRAPHIC CHANGES IN AMERICA AND THE GROWTH OF THE NON-WHITE VOTER ELECTORATE, THERE IS AN EXISTENTIAL FEAR BY THE REPUBLICAN PARTY THAT THE MORE FOLKS THAT EXERCISE THEIR RIGHT TO VOTE, THE MORE LIKELY THEY ARE TO STAY OUT OF POWER. AND IF WE’VE SEEN THE TREND OVER THE LAST 20 YEARS, CERTAINLY IN THE POPULAR NATIONAL VOTE, THAT IS EXACTLY THE TREND. I THINK THE OTHER QUESTION THAT YOU AND THE CONGRESSMAN RAISED IS CRITICALLY IMPORTANT. IT IS, WHAT IS OUR PLAN? WHAT CAN WE AS AMERICANS DO ABOUT IT. I THINK THE TRUTH OF THE MATTER IS, WE HAVE TO TREAT VOTING NOW AS AN ACT OF SURVIVAL BECAUSE IT IS AN ACT OF SURVIVAL. IN THE SAME WAY WE NEVER FORGET OUR BIRTHDAYS OR OUR ANNIVERSARIES OR THE BIG DAYS THAT WE CELEBRATE IN LIFE, WE HAVE TO TAKE THE SAME APPROACH TO VOTING AND NOT PLAN TWO WEEKS OR TWO MONTHS OUT. RIGHT NOW WHAT IS YOUR PLAN FOR 2022 AND 2024? BECAUSE THESE RESTRICTIONS ARE GOING TO BE IN PLACE. YOU’VE SEEN IT. YOU HAD IT AT THE TOP OF THE SEGMENT. THE MAP ALL OVER THE COUNTRY. THE REPUBLICANS ARE NOT GOING TO STOP BECAUSE THIS IS ABOUT THEIR SURVIVAL. SO THE COUNTERMEASURE THAT WE CAN DO AS AMERICANS ACTING IN GOOD FAITH IS DEVELOP OUR VOTING PLAN. THE OTHER QUICK POINT YOU MADE, WHAT IS THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION GOING TO DO? I THINK THEY’VE DONE AN OUTSTANDING JOB SO FAR IN THESE FIRST ALMOST 100 DAYS IN SHOWING WHAT A REAL AMERICAN ADMINISTRATION CAN LOOK LIKE. MY ONE CONCERN IS, I HAVE A SENSE THAT THEY FEEL THAT IF THEY LEAD ON POLICY, THAT IS GOING TO MAKE THE CASE. I’M NOT SURE THAT THAT’S THE APPROACH WHEN YOU’RE IN A POWER FIGHT HERE. >> RIGHT. >> AND THAT IS WHY THE PASSES OF HR 1 IS SO CRITICALLY IMPORTANT, TIFFANY. >> ALL RIGHT. FERNAND, YOU’VE BROUGHT UP SOME IMPORTANT POINTS. I WANT TO BRING IN CHRISTINA SENSUNE AMARIS. SHE IS MOBILIZING YOUNG VOTERS. SO HAPPY YOU COULD JOIN US THIS MORNING. I WANT YOU, BECAUSE FERNAND BROUGHT UP THE POINT, ABOUT THE VOTING ELECTORATE CHANGING. I WANT YOU TO TAKE A LISTEN TO WHAT TUCKER CARLSON SAID ABOUT THIS REPLACEMENT THEORY ON HIS SHOW. >> I KNOW THAT THE LEFT AND THE GOLDEN GATE KEEPERS ON TWITTER BECOME LITERALLY HYSTERICAL IF YOU USE THE TERM REPLACEMENT IF YOU SUGGEST THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY IS TRYING TO REPLACE THE CURRENT ELECTORATE, THE VOTERS NOW CASTING BALLOTS WITH NEW PEOPLE, MORE OBEDIENT VOTERS FROM A THIRD WORLD. THEY BECOME HYSTERICAL. THAT’S WHAT’S HAPPENING. LET’S JUST SAY IT. THAT’S TRUE. EVER ONE WANTS TO MAKE A RACIAL ISSUE OUT OF IT. WHITE REPLACEMENT THEORY. NO, NO, NO, THIS IS A VOTING RIGHTS QUESTION. I HAVE LESS POLITICAL POWER BECAUSE THEY’RE IMPORTING A BRAND-NEW ELECTORATE. WHY SHOULD I SIT BACK AND TAKE THAT? >> YEAH. HE STAYS BIG MAD ALL THE TIME ABOUT THE CHANGING DEMOGRAPHICS OF THE COUNTRY. SO, CHRISTINA, I MEAN, YOU HEAR THEM SAY THAT IS THE FEAR. THIS IS THE FEAR, RIGHT? THAT MORE BLACK AND BROWN VOTERS ARE GOING TO FIND THEIR WAY TO THE POLLS. IT’S ALWAYS BEEN THE FEAR. HOW DO WE COMBAT THAT? PARTICULARLY WHEN YOU HAVE FOLKS IN THE MEDIA WHO ARE TRYING TO PRESENT THIS AS THOUGH THERE’S ANOTHER SIDE TO THIS DEBATE OTHER THAN VOTER SUPPRESSION? >> NOTHING MAKES ME ANGRIER GETTING THE QUESTION, WHAT IS YOUR RESPONSE TO THE FRAUD? LET’S BE CLEAR, THERE IS NO FRAUD BEING PERPETRATED BY BLACK AND BROWN VOTERS. I LIVE IN TEXAS. THE LARGEST BATTLEGROUND STATE IN THE COUNTRY WHERE THE MAJORITY OF OUR POPULATION IS NOW BROWN AND BLACK AND WE HAVE A LEGISLATIVE BODY LARGELY THAT DOESN’T LOOK LIKE OUR POPULATION AND THEY HAVE A CHOICE. THEY CAN TRY AND WIN ON THE MERIT OF THEIR IDEAS AND ACTUALLY RESPOND TO OUR NEEDS OR, GUESS WHAT, WE’RE GOING TO VOTE FOR A PARTY AND CANDIDATES THAT DO. INSTEAD OF DOING THAT, INSTEAD OF TRYING TO REPRESENT THAT. IT WILL BREAK THEM IN ANY WAY IMAGINABLE. THE CONGRESSWOMAN IS RIGHT. THIS IS A CALCULATED, CUNNING EFFORT TO LOOK AT THE PATTERNS OF BLACK AND BROWN VOTERS AND TRY AND DIVIDE THEM. HERE IN TEXAS IT’S A BEAUTIFUL IMAGE THAT PEOPLE ARE SEEING. EVERY YEAR IN TEXAS 270,000 YOUNG PEOPLE OF COLOR TURN 18. WE DROPPED THIS WEEK NEXT GEN AMERICA 1/4 MILLION ROSE PETALS WHILE WE SANG AMAZING GRACE. IT WAS SO POWERFUL AND SO BEAUTIFUL. THE POINT OF IT WAS THAT WE’RE FIGHTING THEIR DARKNESS WITH OUR LIGHT, THEIR UGLINESS WITH OUR BEAUTY AND THAT YOU CAN -- IF YOU TRY AND CUT A ROSE BUSH DOWN, IT WILL GROW BACK. AS COMMUNITIES OF COLOR, THE LAST THING I WANT TO SAY IS THAT WE ARE WELL AWARE THAT PEOPLE
