It appears that SC Republicans will stop at nothing to suppress our votes. On Sept. 2, I risked my life and health to protect your right to vote here in South Carolina by returning to the State House. What I didn’t realize was that the Republican-controlled House, Senate and Governor had already decided to pass only three of the State Election Commission Director’s six COVID-19 election safety recommendations. If SC Republicans cared as much about preventing actual COVID-19 deaths as they claim they care about preventing potential voter fraud, we wouldn’t have 3,100 dead South Carolinians and counting. Mind you, these are the same Republican “leaders” who allowed dozens of unmasked protesters to pack the State House lobby last Tuesday when 170+ legislators and staff reconvened for a special session. I'm honestly not sure why these unmasked protesters were protesting mask-wearing since Gov. McMaster never issued a statewide mask mandate. And even after finally issuing an Executive Order mandating masks inside state buildings, he didn’t have the guts to enforce it. Clearly, the death of one lobbyist and near death of another wasn’t enough. Why weren’t these unmasked protestors required to protest outside the State House like SC teachers, Black Lives Matter and everybody else? Ironically, these Republican “leaders” spend lots of money (a.k.a. your tax dollars) annually on their own safety, but through their actions, they show they care nothing about yours. Today, the SC House and Senate held a Joint Assembly to elect Public Service Commissioners and college & university trustees. To have 170 legislators plus staff and security convene in one chamber prior to COVID-19 was cool. But now, piling all of us into one chamber during a deadly pandemic while some are unmasked is reckless, irresponsible and stupid. Since Gov. McMaster obviously doesn’t have the fortitude to enforce his own mask mandate for state buildings, and Sen. Peeler only “encourages” all senators to comply, I was forced to sit outside the House Chamber balcony, just to try and safely cast my votes.
Our state Republicans hate it when I call them out on their endless hypocrisies. That’s why they’ve already started their negative attack ads against me. But to win in November, it's going to take all of us. Could you help me fight back by making a donation of $250, $100, $50 or whatever you can afford today? Together, we can stop them before more South Carolinians die.
No matter how much they try to suppress my votes and your voices, I’m determined to find a way to VOTE SAFELY. On or before Nov. 3, I hope you will too.
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