Vice President Kamala Harris has found herself at the center of a hypocrisy controversy after requiring attendees at her campaign rally to present government-issued ID, a policy that stands in stark contrast to her previous stance against voter ID laws.
Harris’s campaign sent out an email advising attendees of her rally in Arizona on Friday that they would need to present a matching government-issued photo ID to gain entry. This requirement sparked immediate backlash from critics, who pointed to Harris’s past statements opposing voter ID laws, which they argue disproportionately affect minorities.
Actor Kevin Sorbo, known for his role in the television series “Hercules,” took to X, formerly known as Twitter, to voice his criticism, stating, “Voter ID is racist, but you can’t get into a Kamala rally without ID.” Many others echoed similar sentiments, highlighting the perceived contradiction in Harris’s actions.
Harris’s past statements on voter ID laws have been widely cited, including a 2021 interview where she expressed concerns about the potential impact of such laws on those living in rural communities, who she claimed may lack access to readily available photocopying services.
In 2020, Harris wrote an op-ed for The Washington Post commemorating the 100th anniversary of the 19th Amendment, accusing Republicans of employing voter suppression tactics, including voter ID laws, which she alleged were specifically targeted at minority communities.
The Harris campaign has not yet responded to the accusations of hypocrisy, but the controversy has ignited a heated debate on social media, highlighting the complexities of voter ID laws and their potential impact on different demographics.
