In rare hearing appearance, McConnell says Dems with voting bill 'hell bent' on rewiring democracy

Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell, in a rare appearance for a member of congressional leadership to testify at a Capitol Hill hearing, on Tuesday said Democrats, with their sweeping voter-reform bill, want to "rewrite the ground rules of American politics for their benefit."

McConnell said the passage of congressional Democrats' bill to eliminate safeguards like voter ID while allowing public financing for congressional campaigns and the disclosure of the names of donors to some political groups would make their party "the board of elections for every county and state in America." 

The Democrat-controlled House has already passed its version of the  For The People Act. And Senate Democrats are now trying to pass their version.

Senate Republicans have reportedly also submitted over 100 amendments in an effort to defeat or at least considerable change the Democrats' bill. 

“Why are Democrats so hell-bent on doing whatever it takes to rewire our democracy on a thoroughly partisan basis,” McConnell asked. "This legislation will let Washington Democrats dictate the terms of their own re-election races by rewriting all 50 States election laws."

Congress Democrats are effectively trying to expand voting as several Republican-led states including Georgia, Florida and Texas have either passed or are attempting top pass bills intended of curbing voter fraud but placing tighter rules on absentee ballots and other alternatives to Election Day balloting at polling stations. 

McConnell's Democratic counterpart, New York Sen. Chuck Schumer, also spoke at the s hearing. The Senate Majority Leader arguedRepublican efforts to block the bill are an attempt to disenfranchise voters.

"If you [Republicans] choose the path of uncompromising opposition, you will cast yourself in league with the most reprehensible, sweeping voter suppression effort in decades," the New York lawmaker said.