The Young Democrats of Scotland County were among a group protesting outside of the opening of Congressman Mark Harris’ new district office at Laurinburg City Hall.
Tomeka Sinclair | The Laurinburg Exchange
LAURINBURG — When U.S. Congressman Mark Harris stopped by the Laurinburg City Hall to celebrate the opening of his Scotland County District Office he was met with protesters representing the Young Democrats of Scotland County.
The protestors, joined by pastor and former Scotland County Board of Commissioner Darrel “BJ” Gibson, picketed on the front lawn of City Hall with signs decrying the actions and decision of the Republican representative of North Carolina’s 8th Congressional District, who is a staunch supporter of President Donald Trump. Signs at the protest which included just under a dozen participants, read “Make American Follow the Constitution Again” and called for leaders to fund public schools.
One of the protestors, Breeanna Johnson, said that everything Harris wishes to “destroy, we support,” which includes women’s rights, the protection of Medicaid and human rights for everyone.
“What we believe in isn’t political and those are the exact things him and (President) Donald Trump are trying to attack,” Johnson said.
Another protestor, Makayla Pearson, said that she was protesting the H.R.22. H.R.22, also known as the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act was introduced on Jan. 3 by Congressman Chip Roy (R-Texas) and co-sponsored by 90 other lawmakers including Congressman Harris as well as Congressman David Rouzer (R-NC).
According to language from the bill’s summary, the SAVE Act “requires individuals to provide documentary proof of U.S. citizenship when registering to vote in federal elections” and specifically “prohibits states from accepting and processing an application to register to vote in a federal election unless the applicant presents documentary proof of U.S. citizenship. The bill specifies what documents are considered acceptable proof of U.S. citizenship, such as identification that complies with the REAL ID Act of 2005 that indicates U.S. citizenship.”
“That is an act that is going to make it harder for women to be able to vote,” Pearson said.
Congressman Harris told WPDE that there was “no need to set up a protest per se.”
“If that’s the way they want to choose to express themselves, they’re welcome to do so,” Harris told the news outlet.
Harris said these days protestors are not made up of constituents that live in the area.
“Folkes just get bused in,” Harris said. “They get paid to come to shout down, to yell and nobody understands what’s even being said.”
Harris said this is the reason he and his colleagues are hosting teleTown Halls. Harris has one scheduled for March 25.
Tomeka Sinclair can be reached at tsinclair@laurinburgexchange.com.