A conservative talk-show host and veteran of the U.S. Navy is calling out Attorney General Eric Holder for his opposition of voter ID.
In July, U.S. Attorney General Holder characterized new voter identification proposals as a poll tax. For months, Holder's Justice Department has fought to deny states the right to impose voter ID laws. Charles Butler, a member of Project 21 -- the National Leadership Network of Black Conservatives -- and a talk-show host on WIND-AM in Chicago, says the AG has made glaring historical and factual inaccuracies in framing his opposition to voter ID laws around the country.
"They're all saying that ... these voter ID laws are being put in place to suppress the black vote so that President Obama will not be re-elected, which is a blatant lie," he states. "Voter ID laws have been in effect and states have been putting them into effect since 2003 -- long before Obama was even thought of or elected to the U.S. Senate."
Butler explains that obtaining ID is a civic responsibility, just like serving on jury duty and engaging in various community service projects.
"We need to understand who we are; we need to take pride in our culture; we need to take pride in our traditions," says the conservative spokesman.
"Both Michelle and Barack [Obama] have stepped all over our traditions and the things we hold dear here in America. And it's insulting to me, it's insulting to most black Americans, and it's definitely insulting to most Americans -- and we need to stand firm as Americans and send Mr. Obama out of the White House."
Butler insists voter ID laws have nothing to do with voter suppression, but are intended to protect the electoral process from identity theft and voter fraud.