Rev. Jesse L. Jackson, Sr. is holding a 3 p.m. press conference today, Tuesday, July 13th, 3 p.m. at the Rainbow PUSH Coalition, 930 E. 50th St., to respond to President Biden’s remarks on the voting.
Rev. Jackson’s remarks will come on the heels of 51 of the 67 Texas Democrats who fled the state to prevent passage of a restrictive new voting law by the Republican majority legislature that Democrats say is based on Trump’s “Big Lie” that he won last year’s presidential election.
The Texas Democrats have come to Washington, D.C. to press Senate Democrats to urge their peers to push for passage of the voting rights bill including Senator Joe Manchin (D-Va.) who has not signed onto the voting bill and is against a change to the filibuster.
Rev. Jackson praised the Texas Democrats for fleeing blocking the Republicans from passing their restrictive voting bill. “It was non-violence, discipline civil disobedience in the tradition of our struggle,” said Rev. Jackson. “It was a cry out that must be heard.”
Access to the right to vote by everyone, Rev. Jackson said, “is the lynchpin of our democracy that must not be undermine by mean-spirited people who don’t’ deserve our support.”
President Biden have labeled the Republican’s bill as “grounded in autocracy” and “undemocratic.”
President Biden’s and Rev. Jackson’s remarks come on the heels of a national “Good Trouble” candlelight vigils and marches in honor of the late Rep. John Lewis. Rev. Jackson is pushing for passage of the “For the People Act” that expands, not restricts voting rights.
Republicans blocked the bill with a filibuster on June 22, 2021. It failed to secure the 60 votes needed to invoke cloture after a party-line vote of 50-50.
The outcry for justice to prevail by Rev. Jackson comes four days before the 7:30 p.m., July 17th National “Good Trouble” Candlelight vigils and marches in honor of Rep. Lewis. In Chicago, it will be held at Malcolm x and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. statues at 500 S. Jean Baptiste Pointe DuSable Lake Shore Drive.
Rainbow PUSH Coalition is a multi-racial, multi-issue, progressive, international organization that was formed in December 1996 by the Reverend Jesse L. Jackson, Sr. through merging of two organizations he founded Operation PUSH People United to Serve Humanity (estab. 1971) and the Rainbow Coalition (estab. 1984). With headquarters in Chicago and offices in Washington, D.C., Atlanta, Detroit, Houston, Los Angeles, New York and Oakland, the organization works to make the American Dream a reality for all citizens while advocating for peace and justice around the world. RPC is dedicated to improving the lives of all people by serving as a voice for the voiceless. Its mission is to protect, defend and gain civil rights by leveling the economic and educational playing fields while promoting peace and justice around the world.
