Overview
- Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, in a Meet the Press interview Sunday, claimed people show ID every time they enter a restaurant or club to argue for voter ID.
- The claim drew swift criticism online and from voting-rights attorneys who noted restaurants do not check IDs to seat diners or serve food.
- Blanche made the remark while promoting the SAVE America Act, a proposal that would require proof of U.S. citizenship, such as a passport, to register for federal elections.
- The Campaign Legal Center said the plan would be more burdensome than almost every current state voter ID law and could deter eligible voters who lack passports or similar documents.
- Commentators linked Blanche’s analogy to President Trump’s past false claims about showing ID for routine purchases like groceries and gas, casting it as part of a broader messaging push on voter restrictions.