Republican Texas Rep. Dan Crenshaw had harsh words for Democratic Massachusetts Rep. Joe Kennedy III over H.R.-1, arguing that it would do the opposite of what Kennedy claimed it would.
Kennedy touched off the exchange Friday when he tweeted criticism of the GOP, saying that the Republican Party “stands unified against a bill to strengthen our democracy & increase transparency in our elections.” He referenced the North Carolina seat that currently stands empty due to alleged “ballot-harvesting,” arguing that H.R.-1 would prevent such issues in the future.
As GOP stands unified against a bill to strengthen our democracy & increase transparency in our elections, it’s important to remember that the #NC09 seat is vacant because a GOP candidate tried to steal an election & only failed because local journalists uncovered the truth. #HR1
— Rep. Joe Kennedy III (@RepJoeKennedy) March 8, 2019
Crenshaw fired back, pointing out the fact that “even the ACLU” stands opposed to the measure. “TRUTH: it would legalize vote harvesting across the entire country, use your tax $ to do it, and limit free speech drastically. All in the name of ‘democracy,'” Crenshaw tweeted.
You do realize your bill #HR1 would actually make that kind of fraud in #NC09 LEGAL. Right?
TRUTH: it would legalize vote harvesting across the entire country, use your tax $ to do it, and limit free speech drastically. All in the name of “democracy.”
Even ACLU opposes it. https://t.co/Pn72uB3hEe
— Dan Crenshaw (@DanCrenshawTX) March 9, 2019
The ACLU was so concerned by the content of H.R.-1 that the organization sent a letter of opposition, saying in part that if passed the bill “would overly burden the speech and associational rights of organizations that engage in issue advocacy.”
House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy argued that the bill constituted “a massive federal government takeover that would undermine the integrity of our elections,” and criticized Democrats for a lack of transparency in bringing the bill before the House.
“H.R. 1 wants to give American taxpayer dollars to political candidates and campaigns, regardless of whether you support them,” McCarthy added.
This bill will give candidates a government match of 6-1. Not a dollar for dollar. No, no, no. For the Politicians Act multiplies it. So if a citizen gives $200, the government gives $1,200. That’s why the new Democrat Socialist Party are so excited about this bill.
That’s why they made it a number one priority. Hard-earned taxpayer money should go to roads, bridges, or to giving a boost to struggling Americans, not to political campaigns.
Republicans on the House Committee for Administration — the only committee that has actually seen H.R.-1 — shared a satire ad designed to show Americans what the bill would actually do. (RELATED: This Political Ad Bashes HR 1’s Funding Of Campaigns)
Do you like campaign ads? Well, #HR1 will take your money and give it to politicians so they can run TV ads. That’s #ForThePoliticians, not #ForThePeople. pic.twitter.com/Np6R4cWLcn
— Rep. Mark Walker (@RepMarkWalker) March 8, 2019
Democrats have rallied around H.R.-1, and some are using it as a foothold to push for a lower voting age (16) and voting rights for illegal immigrants.