The next is a transcript of an interview with David Becker, government director and founding father of the Middle for Election Innovation & Analysis, that aired Sunday, January 9, 2022, on "Face the Nation." MARGARET BRENNAN: Now, to the Director and Founding father of the Middle for Election Innovation and Analysis, David Becker. Good morning to you, David. DAVID BECKER: Good morning, MARGARET. MARGARET BRENNAN: If- I wish to speak about plenty of issues, however is there something there that the Secretary laid out that you simply wish to reply to? I do know particularly on voter I.D. and what he known as poll harvesting. You've got some views. BECKER: Properly, I imply, I believe there's room for disagreement within the states on a wide range of the executive insurance policies round elections, what number of ballots a 3rd celebration may be capable to ship from a spot like a nursing residence, how inflexible an I.D. system must be and how much failsafe is there to guarantee that eligible voters do not excluded because- they do not get excluded from voting as a result of they do not occur to have I.D? However I believe what we're actually fearful about at this- on this second of time proper now due to the lies being unfold by the dropping presidential candidate, are the efforts to sow confusion and chaos into the vote counting and certification course of. That is what I am actually engaged on and within the states, and it is one thing I do know Secretary Raffensperger and his colleagues, each Republican and Democrat across the nation are . MARGARET BRENNAN: And we talked about that earlier with the Speaker of the Home. However wanting nationwide, 25 states enacted 62 legal guidelines that expanded voting since 2020. Almost all of them have Democratic managed legislatures. 19 states enacted 34 voting restrictive legal guidelines. All of these have GOP managed legislatures. While you take a look at that breakdown, what does this say to you and when it comes particularly to Georgia, is it actually the case that what they've achieved is Jim Crow on steroids as President Biden refers to it, as a result of the Secretary of State there says that is not what he is saying. BECKER: Properly, I believe what you are seeing, clearly, that is not the signal of a wholesome democracy and our democracy is in disaster proper now. I am as involved as I've ever been. And definitely, in these states the place Republican's management majorities within the legislatures, these majorities are being fueled by the lies from the dropping presidential candidate of their celebration. We at the moment are over 400 days after what was, by any measure, essentially the most safe, clear, scrutinized and verified election in American historical past. Extra audits of these ballots than ever earlier than. Extra courtroom scrutiny and verification of the outcomes than ever earlier than, together with judges appointed by the dropping presidential candidate himself. And so, in states like Texas, Florida, Arizona and sure, even Georgia, we see election coverage being thought of in a approach that is not fully constructive. It's partisan. It is primarily based on some false premises about how nicely the election was run. The details are in Georgia and in these different states and all through the nation the election was run exceedingly nicely. It is exceptional how nicely it was run, with assets being scarce with the very best turnout we have ever seen and in the course of a worldwide pandemic. So, in Georgia, it is true in comparison with many of the different states. Georgia really has fairly accessible voting insurance policies. However that being mentioned, the legislature eliminated some powers from Secretary Raffensperger, who he and his workers did a remarkably good job in 2020. They've injected some chaos into the counting and certification course of that does not must be there. However in different states like Texas, it is even worse, the place the voting legal guidelines are rather more restrictive and there is much more chaos being injected into the method. MARGARET BRENNAN: So, due to what's occurring on the state degree, the White Home is making the broader argument that there must be extra federal election legislation crafted. They're placing their shoulder behind two payments, and we will hear from the president within the coming days in regards to the Freedom to Vote Act and the John Lewis Voting Rights Act. The White Home says these are completely important. They do not have the votes to cross both of them. However on the premise right here that there must be extra federal oversight, do you agree? BECKER: I believe that there might be some worth proper now, given the unprecedented assault on our democracy and the truth that tens of thousands and thousands of Americans have been led to consider, fueled by lies, that our system doesn't have integrity. And simply to be clear, we've got essentially the most integrity in American elections than we have ever had in American historical past at this second in time. And that may proceed to develop. However there might be some use for some federal requirements. There's plenty of good issues in these two payments, however as you famous, it is extremely unlikely that both has even 50 votes to cross the Senate. But when there might be a very bipartisan effort to take a look at the disaster points in our democracy and attempt to discover methods to resolve them in order that we do not have confusion and chaos within the post-election interval, that the one that will get essentially the most votes is asserted the winner below methods which are clear, that will be actually good. MARGARET BRENNAN: So, one of many concepts that was floated previously week was attempting to replace the Electoral Rely Act. In order that's one thing that even a number of the Democrats on the Jan. 6 Committee, together with Congresswoman Lofgren, had supported updating that form of arcane legislation, which was on the coronary heart of a number of the premise of disputing Jan. sixth. However each the Vice President and the Senate minority chief each actually shot that down this week. In actual fact, Senator Schumer mentioned, clarifying the Electoral Rely Act is a distraction. And so, it is a quote, "it is kind of like saying, nicely, I'll rig the sport, however then I'll be sure to depend the rating precisely. What the hell is the purpose for those who rigged the sport to depend the rating precisely?" Had been you stunned to listen to that form of language from the Democratic chief, and may or not it's reformed, the Electoral Rely Act? BECKER: Yeah, nicely, there's clearly plenty of politics being performed proper now by way of getting no matter payments that may be handed moved within the subsequent 12 months as we enter the midterm elections. However I agree with many consultants and members of each events that it might be good to make clear and revise the Electoral Rely Act of 1877- 1887 relatively. And- and to make it clear that the joint session of Congress is solely a ceremonial session. MARGARET BRENNAN: Proper. BECKER: They're simply counting the votes. It is really- it is actually just like the Oscars. They don't seem to be voting on who received finest image. -- MARGARET BRENNAN: Precisely. BECKER: – They're simply saying who received finest image.-- MARGARET BRENNAN: Precisely. BECKER: And equally, that is what the joint session would do, and I believe that'd be actually precious. MARGARET BRENNAN: Precisely. Thanks, David Becker, in your perspective, as at all times. We'll be again in a second.
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