Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) said on April 22, 2019, all prisoners, including those found guilty of domestic terrorism including the Boston Marathon bomber, should be permitted to vote in the elections while incarcerated.
Saunders said at a town hall hosted by CNN the right to vote should be extended to all Americans including dangerous criminals such as Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, the Boston Marathon bomber. Tsarnaev is currently in prison after being sentenced to death.
Sanders said:
If a person commits a significant crime, murder, sexual assault, they are going to be punished. The person may be incarcerated for 10, 20, 50 years, or maybe their entire lives. That is what happens when a serious crime is committed.
But despite that, it is vital to our democracy that people should be able to vote. I do believe that even if the person is in jail, they are paying the price of their crime to society. Despite that, we should not take away their American right to participate in the democratic process.
Chris Cuomo, a CNN host, asked Saunders about his comments. He also told Sanders, that he could be writing an opposition ad which would turn against him by saying the Boston Marathon bomber should be given the right to vote from his jail cell.
Saunders responded:
I have written throughout my entire life several oppositions ads. Consider this another. This is how I feel and what I believe in. I ask everybody if they believe in democracy and believe every American citizen over the age of 18 should have the right to vote.
The Republicans are trying to stop this. They come up with excuses why young people, people of color, and poor people should not have the right to vote. I will do everything within my power to stop this.
Written by Barbara Sobel
Sources:
The Hill: Sanders: Boston Marathon bomber should be able to vote from prison
CNN: Sanders says the right to vote should be extended ‘even for terrible people’ like Boston Marathon bomber
CNS: Bernie Sanders Says Boston Marathon Bomber Has Right to Vote
Necn: Bernie Sanders: Even ‘Terrible People’ Like Boston Marathon Bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev Should Have Right to Vote in Prison
Fox News: Sanders says Boston Marathon bomber, sexual assaulters should be allowed to vote
Featured and Top Image Courtesy Of Phil Roeder’s Flickr Page – Creative Commons License
