🎙️ Voice is AI-generated. Inconsistencies may occur.
One governor is taking steps at trying to prevent another "big lie" from taking shape in the future, as Governor Jay Inslee of Washington announced on Thursday that he's working to make lying and spreading lies by elected officials about elections a misdemeanor.
Inslee's move came on the one-year anniversary of the riot at the U.S. Capitol. In his announcement at an Associated Press event to preview legislation, Inslee said lies about elections are not just happening in the state of Washington and went on to accuse former President Donald Trump of "continuing a coup." He called on lawmakers in Washington state to produce such legislation criminalizing the lies.
"The violence of January 6 of last year is just a warning of what is coming and the basis of it is the 'Big Lie,'" he said. "That's [why] I'm calling on all elected officials of both parties to join together arm-in-arm and call that out," Inslee said.
On Thursday, President Joe Biden also called out Trump for spreading the lie of a rigged 2020 election. "Here is the truth: The former president of the United States has created and spread a web of lies about the 2020 election. He's done so because he values power over principle. Because his bruised ego matters more to him than our democracy or Constitution," Biden said.
It's unclear what exactly would make up Inslee's proposed legislation, as he gave no specifics. It's still being written and there is currently no sponsor for the bill.
While little is known about the proposed move to criminalize lying about elections in Washington state, many on social media appeared to be against the idea.
One Twitter user, @Emerald_Tribune, said, "How can someone read this and think "yes, that's the right thing to do." @riedmae added, "I'm a progressive ... but this BS. What else can we not "lie" about, then? Is the 'state's' record of the 'truth' what we measure by? Nah, this ain't it."
@The_Yoney also questioned such proposed legislation and Inslee himself saying, "How could that law possibly go wrong??? That he would even propose something like that just shows how bad of a lawyer he was. (FYI, I know directly that he was incompetent)."
Another social media user, @Scott_heino, said what Inslee is suggesting would essentially lead to silencing and the end of free speech, saying, "This is to end debate and punish those who disagree, a direct violation of free speech and the #1a. What's next, punish those who disagree with the pseudo-science of climate change? Very slippery slope."
