Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro (D) pulled no punches when responding to criticism from former Trump White House policy adviser Stephen Miller over his state’s adoption of automatic voter registration.
Miller was notorious for his hardline stance on immigration during the Trump administration. He peddled white nationalist talking points in emails sent before the 2016 election and pushed the border child separation policy. His own uncle called his rhetoric “a complete repudiation of the American Dream, while MSNBC’s Mehdi Hasan called him “probably the most repugnant individual to serve” in Trump’s White House.
On X, formerly Twitter, Miller peddled right-wing spin when responding to the Pennsylvania voter news: “And, I can promise you, there will be no citizenship verification.”
CNN’s Poppy Harlow on Wednesday asked Shapiro to comment on the post.
The governor shot back: “I am not going to respond to Stephen Miller. That guy’s a dope who can’t tell the truth.”
Miller “doesn’t raise any substance,” Shapiro added when Harlow pressed him.
Shapiro later explained “the actual substance” to the practice, which will see the automatic registration of anyone who obtains or renews a driver’s license or state-issued ID card, downplaying conservative fears it could be open to abuse.
Pennsylvania is the 24th state to adopt the process, which research suggests leads to higher registration and voter turnout.
