Liberal activists descended on the White House led by an unlikely figure: 1990s television star actress-turned-activist Alyssa Milano.
Many left in handcuffs.
Demanding President Joe Biden’s administration do more to fight Republican voting integrity laws, Milano and the leftist group People for the American Way disrupted the sidewalks around the White House until the U.S. Park Department removed them.
They demanded Biden and the U.S. Senate pass the Freedom to Vote Act, a bill that is likely to fail without a single Republican vote.
“We came back to the White House to deliver a clear message to President Biden: we need actions that match the urgency of his words on voting rights — and time is running out,” wrote event organizer Ben Jealous.
“The Freedom to Vote Act has to pass now if we are going to protect voting rights in the next election for all of us: for Black voters and Brown voters, for women, for younger voters and older voters, voters with disabilities and working people of all backgrounds.”
Federal law and the Voting Rights Act of 1965 already prohibit any kind of voting discrimination based on age, sex, race, or disabilities.
That didn’t stop Milano from demanding Democrats repeal voting integrity laws passed in recent years. They’re demanding the U.S. Senate pass the sweeping reform bill that would federalize U.S. elections in an unprecedented way.
“I was just arrested for demanding the Biden Administration and the Senate to use their mandate to protect voting rights,” Milano confirmed on social media after she was removed from the area and released from custody.
“Stand with me and @peoplefor and tell the Senate and White House that voting rights shouldn’t depend on where you live. #DontMuteOurVote.”
Senate Minority leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) called the bill “a solution in search of a problem.”
“This is not something that the federal government has been historically involved with for good reason,” he said on Tuesday.
“It is my hope and anticipation that none of us will vote for this latest iteration of Democratic efforts to take over how every American votes all over the country,” McConnell said.
It is extremely unlikely the Democrats will get the 10 Republican votes needed to overturn the filibuster. Milano and 23 other liberal activists were arrested, as you can see in the video below.
Now: Protesters, including @BenJealous, @Alyssa_Milano, faith leaders, and civil rights leaders, are being arrested outside the White House for calling on President Biden to lead on voting rights.
No more excuses. #VotingRightsNow. pic.twitter.com/KLJfJjxvDV
— People For the American Way (@peoplefor) October 19, 2021
The Horn editorial team