White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt is calling out former President Barack Obama for his opposition to national voter ID laws. Leavitt accused Obama and fellow Democrats of spreading lies and panicking over the popularity of election integrity measures. She noted on social media that nearly 90% of voters support such requirements.
The exchange followed the House’s Wednesday passage of the SAVE America Act. The bill passed with a narrow 218-213 vote. Rep. Henry Cuellar of Texas was the only Democrat to join Republicans in supporting the legislation. The act requires voters to provide documentary proof of citizenship for registration and a photo ID to cast ballots in federal elections.
Obama encouraged lawmakers to reject the measure, claiming it would disenfranchise millions of Americans. He urged citizens to tell their members of Congress to vote “no” on the bill. Democrats argue that the cost and paperwork associated with obtaining specific IDs creates an unnecessary hurdle for eligible voters.
Leavitt countered by sharing a 2012 image of Obama presenting his own driver’s license to poll workers in Chicago. She questioned why Democrats in Congress are so opposed to making such a requirement a nationwide standard. “Voter ID laws are common sense,” Leavitt posted alongside the photo.
White House spokeswoman Taylor Rogers also weighed in on the debate. She pointed out that Americans must show ID for routine tasks like buying alcohol or boarding an airplane. Rogers called the Democratic opposition “indefensible and wildly out of step” with the American people.
Recent polling from Gallup and Pew Research Center shows that between 83% and 84% of Americans support requiring a photo ID to vote. The SAVE America Act now heads to the Senate, where it faces a difficult path toward enactment. If passed, the new requirements could be implemented as early as this year’s midterm elections.