Psaki Comments on Arrest of Georgia State Rep. Park Cannon Over Voting Law

President Joe Biden will make a statement Friday about the Georgia's sweeping Republican-sponsored overhaul of state elections that includes new restrictions on voting by mail and greater legislative control over how elections are run.

White House press secretary Jen Psaki told reporters the president was "watching closely," developments affecting voting rights in the state.

Biden called such GOP efforts “un-American” and “sick” during a news conference Thursday.

And a group of voter mobilization groups filed a lawsuit late Thursday in federal court in Atlanta challenging the new law.

Psaki said the president's view was that "it should not be harder, it should be easier to vote."

Democrats and voting rights groups say the law will disproportionately disenfranchise voters of color. It is one of a wave of GOP-backed election bills introduced in states around the country after former President Donald Trump stoked false claims that fraud led to his 2020 election defeat.

As Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp was delivering remarks after the signing, he was interrupted by a commotion before a livestream of the event cut out.

Democratic state Rep. Park Cannon, who is Black, was arrested by Capitol police amid a protest after knocking on the door of the governor’s office during his remarks.

Video captured by a bystander shows Cannon, who is handcuffed with her arms behind her back, being forcibly removed from the Capitol by two officers, one on each arm. She says “where are you taking me?” and “stop” as she is taken from the building.

Cannon was charged with felony obstruction of law enforcement, punishable by one to five years in prison, and with disrupting a session of the General Assembly. She was released late Thursday night.

Psaki said the White House was "deeply concerned" about the treatment of Cannon as well as the law.

The Georgia law requires a photo ID in order to vote absentee by mail, after more than 1.3 million Georgia voters used that option during the COVID-19 pandemic. It also cuts the time people have to request an absentee ballot and limits where ballot drop boxes can be placed and when they can be accessed.

Bloomberg Quicktake brings you live global news and original shows spanning business, technology, politics and culture. Make sense of the stories changing your business and your world.

Connect with us on…

[ken]

ID to buy cigarettes', ID to Drive a car, ID to buy alcohol, ID to buy a gun but no ID to vote? BS!

[collegiateatthurston]

Legal voting like in every other country please...

[winstonseverus]

I’m black and my mom always told me to carry identification on me even though I didn’t like to, like anything can happen, you could get killed and would need to be identified but doesn’t even need to be that drastic, not hard to obtain a state Id if you can’t drive.

[jessiewhite]

I think all 50 states should have an photo ID cards with their name, address, the district they live in. And a thumb print on it. One that know one knows where it's at. Then No one can use your card to vote.
I for one would pay to have this done.

[bozo]

I am deeply concerned of the actions of Rep. Cannon. Lock her up!

[danfranklin]

We the People, need to stand tall, and scream the

[the_monkeypox_commander]

You literally need identification to do just about everything in this country. My wife just got turned away from an urgent care facility because we didnt realize her license was expired. Had to take her to the ER for a minor cut needing 4 stitches

[Iceify_]

It doesn’t “limit” voting access. It makes the integrity of our elections stronger.

[Semper_Iratus]

make voting laws as tough as gun laws.

[jakesworld]

Should need valid id and proof of current residence to vote...

[variantways]

We should all want the BEST WAY to ENSURE our votes COUNT and not duplicated...

[Pinkfitt]

My husband will have to have his passport and a negative covid test just to be able to get back INTO the country to get back to his family...but no ID required to vote 🥴
They want more votes. However they can get them. Period. The End.

[jamesjonessr]

Human trafficking is at a all time high 💯💯💯

[joecampbell]

The requirement to have a license to drive is discriminatory then, right?

[socraytes]

No one gets arrested for simply knocking on a door. Events happened prior *BUT* in the meantime let's exploit this and call our opposition racist.

[lisalabar]

Simply put:she was told to stop knocking by the authorities repeatedly. She didn’t. She then faced repercussions. End of story!

[defund-the-media]

You need an ID to get a library book but not to vote. Let that sink in.

[fredbarney]

BS! Everyone who votes should have to show an ID, period! Are we going to let just anyone decide who our elected leaders will be?

[patrickconnell]

She was breaking in on a live TV news cast trying to create a disturbance. She was asked to leave and continued to try to force her way into the governor office. What would Psaki guards do if someone start beating on the door and trying to crash the news conference? They would be handcuffed and arrested. wake up! the lady was being a jerk.

[WhiteDove-]

“If your vote counted they wouldn’t let you do it”