Free Republic

Senate Republicans on Nov. 3 filibustered an election bill put forward by Democrats, continuing a longstanding division between the two parties on voting-related legislation. The mostly party-line vote saw only one defection, as Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) joined Democrats in support of the bill, and is now the only Republican lawmaker to lend support to any of Democrats’ election bills. Vice President Kamala Harris presided over the vote. “After today’s vote, it’s clear that the modern Republican Party has turned its back on protecting voting rights,” Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) said after the legislation failed to advance. Schumer...

The American Civil Liberties Union dealt a blow Monday to Democrats’ new election overhaul legislation, saying the bill does too much damage to the First Amendment and the storied rights group cannot support it. ACLU officials said they support parts of the bill, such as making it easier to register to vote, but said the legislation attempts to control even the mere mention of a politician, which goes too far. “They will have the effect of harming our public discourse by silencing necessary voices that would otherwise speak out about the public issues of the day,” the ACLU’s national political...