Don Lemon didn't hold back while discussing the hypocrisy some lawmakers showed as he pointed out the use of Martin Luther King Jr.'s quotes by politicians who haven't exemplified the civil rights icon's same values. As the nation focuses on ensuring the safety and protection of voting rights for everyone, Lemon called out Senators Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.) and Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) during an episode of CNN's New Day for their lack of effort to join in the cause.
"Inevitably, you get the politicians, especially the ones in there now, who are blocking people's access to the voting booth, and they want to use Dr. King conveniently. They are the biggest hypocrites on the planet," he said. "Because if Sinema and Manchin really want to honor the legacy of Dr. King and all of the people who fought for civil rights and voting rights in this country, what they would do is do a carve-out for voting rights with the filibuster."
"That’s bull … That’s BS. And you should be ashamed of yourself. You are a hypocrite." @donlemon unloads on lawmakers who want to honor Martin Luther King, Jr. while standing in the way of voting rights reform by opposing the filibuster. pic.twitter.com/UKX0tQGI2E
— New Day (@NewDay) January 18, 2022
He went on to chastise the politicians for their stance on the "backward" rules that continue to be a barrier on the forward movement of civil rights.
"As a former president said at John Lewis' memorial service: 'These are relics of Jim Crow.' The filibuster has been used to block civil rights legislation forever. And so, we need to stop that — we need to evolve," Lemon said.
Lemon calls for changes to the legislative process
Insider reports Manchin and Sinema both expressed support for the Freedom to Vote Act, a bill that promises to protect voting rights for all, but both are opposed to changing Senate rules requiring a minimum of 60 votes to pass a law, which means the proposed legislation won't make it through due to the Republican opposition.
"Just because there is a rule, doesn't mean that that rule can't change. The Constitution is amended, so it's time to amend the rules and fight and protect the most sacred right we have as Americans, and that is the right to vote," Lemon continued.
He proceeded to read an excerpt from Dr. King's Letter From a Birmingham Jail, which discussed the possible evils of "white moderates" who feign being on the same side of marginalized groups only to continue upholding the status quo.
"That sounds like the moderates. 'Not now, we can't change the rules because the rules are tradition,'" he mocked. "'But we're going to block people from the voting," he said. "That’s bull … That’s BS. And you should be ashamed of yourself. You are a hypocrite."
Others push for Manchin's support
Lemon isn't the only person putting pressure on Manchin to support voting rights. According to Insider, University of Alabama football coach Nick Saban signed a letter to the senator urging him to change his stance on a critical issue in passing the Freedom to Vote Act.
The letter encouraged Congress "to exercise its Constitutional responsibility to enact laws that set national standards for the conduct of Federal elections and for decisions that determine election outcomes."
"We strongly support urgently needed legislation that will protect both the rights of voters and the integrity of outcomes in all Federal elections," the letter read.
