Chris Matthews on Tuesday smeared Pennsylvania Republicans as attempting to "kill off the older voters" by enacting a new voter ID law in the state. The liberal Hardball host offered this baseless charge during a discussion of the true motive behind such GOP legislation across the country.
Matthews referenced Pennsylvania Majority Leader Mike Turzai's gaffe that a voter ID law will help the party win the state in the fall. From that, Matthews spewed, "Let's get to this GOP leader in the Keystone state and other states, this plan to kill off the older voters and others who might be planning, how dare they, to vote for Obama." [MP3 audio here. See video below.]
Matthew didn't elaborate on how he connects voter ID laws with "killing off the older voters."
Matthews began the segment by mocking, "Let me start tonight with this nut case up in Pennsylvania."
He theorized, "How rare it is when the perpetrator of a political scheme confesses its political nature and that's what Majority Leader Mike Turzai did this weekend."
A transcript of the June 26 exchange can be found below:
5:01
CHRIS MATTHEWS: Let me start tonight with this nut case up in Pennsylvania. This Republican leader who declared out loud what Democrats have been saying for months that these new laws making it harder to vote, requiring government-issued photo ID cards and other moves are aimed at getting Romney and other Republicans elected. How rare it is when the perpetrator of a political scheme confesses its political nature and that's what Majority Leader Mike Turzai did this weekend. He blew the cover. So much for good government, he admitted the whole scheme was to win. Let's get to this GOP leader in the Keystone state and other states, this plan to kill off the older voters and others who might be planning, how dare they, to vote for Obama. Pat Murphy served as Democratic congressman for Pennsylvania's 8th district. Jim Burns is the chair of the Democratic Party of Pennsylvania. Gentlemen, thank you for joining us. This weekend, just to set the table, at the Republican State Committee meeting in Hershey, Pennsylvania House Republican leader Mike Turzai championed legislation Republicans had passed and then came out with what a lot of Democrats had been saying for a while. And it is a ha-ha moment for everyone when he seemed to confirm, damn it, he did confirm, suspicions that Pennsylvania's new voter ID law is not about stopping fraud. Oh, no way. It's about stopping President Obama. Let's listen to the guy give it all away.
STATE REP. MIKE TURZAI (R-PA): We are focused on making sure that we meet our obligations that we've talked about for years. Pro second amendment, the Castle Doctrine, that's done. First pro-life legislation, abortion facility regulations in 22 years. Done. Voter ID, which is going to allow Governor Romney to win the state of Pennsylvania. Done.
