Earlier today, The Democratic Party of Virginia hosted a call with Congressman Bobby Scott, Senator Don McEachin, and Chairwoman Susan Swecker to discuss restoration of rights and troubling rhetoric from Republicans leading up to their state GOP convention this weekend. Please find excerpts from the call below:

DPVA Chairwoman Susan Swecker:

"They [Virginia Republicans] are demonizing people and callously throwing around more ugly rhetoric, trying to divide us and turn people against each other.  We are better than this."

"What we’ve heard and seen from Virginia Republicans is much like their national counterparts, and I believe all of this will come to a head this weekend at their convention."

Congressman Bobby Scott: 

Governor McAuliffe's action is consistent with the principle that "the right to vote is a right; it's not a privilege. We have Republicans who at every opportunity are trying to deny people the right to vote, trying to suppress the vote.."

"They [Virginia Republicans] ought to investigate whether or not felony disenfranchisement is illegal to begin with under section II of the Voting Rights Act"

"His policy is consistent with just about every other state in the union. There is nothing unusual about people being able to vote after they have paid their debt to society."

"We have to congratulate the Governor for expanding voting rights in the face of the other party that wants to restrict it at every opportunity."

State Senator Donald McEachin: 

"It's laughable when the Republicans in the General Assembly want to suggest that the Governor doesn't have the power to do this...It makes you wonder if they have read the Constitution."

"If we are a society that is about redemption, if we are about second chances, then this is the appropriate policy."

"Legislators in the General Assembly don't even allow these bills or resolutions on the floor for a full and vigorous debate, they would rather keep them bottled up or kill them without so much as a recorded vote."