Schumer, Democrats say they support voter ID — then block GOP amendment to require it

By Fox News · Fox News

Senate Democrats blocked an amendment to Trump-backed voter ID legislation that would have done something they publicly support: require photo identification to vote in federal elections. Democrats, including Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., have shown interest in photo voter ID, which has grown in popularity among voters across the country. "Democrats support voter ID," Schumer said on a press call earlier this month. "In fact, we included it, and it is included, in our Freedom to Vote legislation several years ago." HOUSE CONSERVATIVES ERUPT OVER SENATE GOP, WHITE HOUSE DEAL AMID SAVE ACT FIGHT Several others have also come out in support of a voter ID bill in recent weeks. When asked by CNN’s Kaitlan Collins whether he would support a clean voter ID bill, Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., said, "Yes." "And New Jersey has voter ID laws," Booker said. "I’ve got to show my driver’s license." Still, Democrats blocked an amendment to the Safeguarding American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) America Act from Sen. Jon Husted, R-Ohio, meant to put them on record for that position. DEMS BLOCK GOP AMENDMENT TYING VOTER ID BILL TO TRANSGENDER SPORTS BAN Schumer said ahead of the vote that "Republicans are once again wasting time on voter suppression." "Let's let's be very clear what this amendment is," Schumer said. "It's a wolf in sheep's clothing, and it's a giant cover-up to what their bill really does, which is dramatic voter suppression, kicking 20 million or more people off the rolls without their knowledge or consent." Senate Republicans argued that if Democrats truly support voter ID, they should back the amendment. "That is one on which the Democrats have said — Senator Schumer himself — that ‘we are not opposed to photo ID,’" Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., said. "Well, let’s test that proposition. Let’s actually have a vote on it and see where the Democrats are." Republicans have been engaged in a floor push on the SAVE America Act for the past 10 days,…