U.S. Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith is facing more backlash after a new video was released showing the Republican Senator talking about voter suppression with a group of supporters. The 18-second video has had over a million views, as of Friday morning.
The video was tweeted out Thursday afternoon by the same Louisiana blogger who posted a video of Hyde-Smith making a comment about a public hanging.
RELATED: Hyde-Smith, Espy respond to public hanging comment
Cindy Hyde-Smith on voter suppression: “And then they remind me, that there’s a lot of liberal folks in those other schools who that maybe we don’t want to vote. Maybe we want to make it just a little more difficult. And I think that’s a great idea.” Nov 2nd in Columbus, MS. pic.twitter.com/OxNY77XCft
— Lamar White, Jr. (@LamarWhiteJr) November 15, 2018
“And then they remind me, that there’s a lot of liberal folks in those other schools who that maybe we don’t want to vote,” Hyde-Smith says in the recording. “Maybe we want to make it just a little more difficult.”
Hyde-Smith’s campaign responded saying the Senator’s comments were done in jest.
“Obviously Sen. Hyde-Smith was making a joke and clearly the video was selectively edited,” said Melissa Scallan, spokeswoman for the campaign. “Now the liberal media wants to talk about anything other than Mike Espy’s record of corruption and taking $750,000 – and lying about it – from an African dictator now charged with war crimes, including murder, rape, and torture.”
RELATED: Espy accused of misleading lobbying contract with African Dictator
“For a state like Mississippi, where voting rights were obtained through sweat and blood, everyone should appreciate that this is not a laughing matter,” said Danny Blanton, Communications Director for the Espy campaign. “Mississippians deserve a senator who represents our best qualities, not a walking stereotype who embarrasses our state.”
Republican GOP Chairman Lucien Smith tweeted out his support of Hyde-Smith saying the video was edited and misleading.
Pro tip: always keep a heavily edited misleading video in the can just in case a story drops that you took nearly a million dollars to lobby for a ruthless dictator who killed his people after losing an election.
— Lucien Smith (@LucienSmith) November 15, 2018
