Rep. Thomas Massie, a Kentucky Republican, told reporters he finds it “ironic” that Republicans control the House, Senate, Supreme Court and White House yet are “yelling election fraud,” saying “we won all the damn elections.” He called President Donald Trump's push for the SAVE Act — the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act, which would require documentary proof of citizenship to register to vote in federal elections — “a distraction from our real problems.” Massie nevertheless said he would vote for the SAVE Act.
The comments come as Trump has demanded stricter voting laws and used election-fraud claims to pressure Congress to pass the SAVE Act. The bill passed the House in February but remains stalled in the Senate, where Republicans hold 53 seats but need 60 to overcome the filibuster. Massie argued Republicans are “wasting our opportunity that the voters gave us” by focusing on election fraud instead of broader policy goals, and warned the party could face “an absolute shellacking” in upcoming elections.
Rep. Thomas Massie did say, in remarks to reporters outside the Capitol, “I think it's ironic that we control the House, the Senate, the Supreme Court, and the White House, and we're yelling election fraud? I mean, we won all the damn elections,” while criticizing Republican focus on the SAVE Act. The quote is slightly paraphrased (“every” vs. “all the damn”), but substantively accurate.
Same authentic Massie quote, accurately rendered; the post presents it as breaking news but does not misstate what he said.
Same authentic Massie quote, accurately rendered.
BA Republican congressman just lit up his own party's obsession with election fraud.
BOh, I saw this. Thomas Massie, right? Kentucky.
BYeah. He told reporters outside the Capitol, and I'm quoting: "I think it's ironic that we control the House, the Senate, the Supreme Court, and the White House, yet we're screaming 'election fraud.' I mean, we won every damn election."
BSomebody check on the RNC. I think a few staffers just fainted.
BProbably not the best day in the committee office, no.
BBut he actually went further. He said the party's push for the SAVE Act is, and I'm quoting again, "a distraction from our real problems."
BThe voter ID bill. Proof of citizenship to register for federal elections.
BRight. And he says he'll still vote for it. But he thinks Republicans are wasting their majority.
BOkay, but here's my question. Is he wrong, or is he just saying the quiet part out loud?
BHe's saying the quiet part! That's my whole point. The party won everything, and they're still running against the last election.
BOr they're trying to prevent the next one from being stolen. Depends which side of the argument you're on.
BCome on, Bella. The SAVE Act passed the House in February. It's been sitting in the Senate for months. They have 53 seats, they need 60. It's not going anywhere.
BSo you're saying drop it? Just... let election integrity go?
BI'm saying if you're telling voters you won, and then you spend all your time saying elections are broken, voters start to wonder what exactly you accomplished.
BOr they appreciate that you're still fighting to protect their votes. It's not an either-or. You can pass tax cuts AND pass voter ID laws.
BBut they're not passing either! That's Massie's point. He said Republicans are going to take, and I quote, "an absolute shellacking" in November.
BAnd you think he's right?
BI think he's been in that room and he's seen the dysfunction. A guy who's willing to say this to cameras knows something.
BOkay, here's my pushback. Massie has always been a contrarian. He votes against his own party more than almost anyone in Congress. This isn't breaking news about GOP dysfunction—it's Tuesday for Thomas Massie.
BFair. But he's not wrong that it's ironic. The party that controls everything is still campaigning like they're the underdogs.
BMaybe because they remember 2020 and don't want a repeat.
BThen pass the bill! Don't just tweet about it.
BAlright. We're not settling this in a Saturday evening segment, but I'll give you that—having the majority is meaningless if you don't use it.
BThat's all I'm saying. Use it or lose it. And Massie's betting on losing it.
BSpeaking of losing... poll coming out of Brazil tonight, and it's a dead heat.
BThe runoff.
BAl Jazeera reports Lula and Bolsonaro are about even ahead of the election. The race between the president and the right-wing senator has tightened in recent days.
BThat's a big shift from earlier polling. Lula had a comfortable lead.
BThat's what makes it interesting. Polls are tightening exactly when campaigns are spending the most.
BBrazil's been through a wild few years—January 8th riots, polarizing elections. This one's got everything.
BA lot of international investors are watching too. Brazil's economy is huge. If Bolsonaro pulls off the comeback, markets in São Paulo will move fast on Monday.
BAnd if Lula holds on, then the left wins again. Big stakes either way.
BQuick update on something we mentioned earlier tonight—the Milan story.
BThe protests.
BSecurity forces are deploying there as the city braces for another day of demonstrations. The Italian government has sent hundreds of soldiers to Milan.
BThat's a serious escalation for a European city. Sending the military into a financial hub.
BIt shows how tense things are there. Nobody's expecting this to calm down overnight.
BLet's hit the news right after this. We've got a lot more coming up.