Sen Jon Ossoff requires photo ID for campaign event despite opposition to voter ID laws

Georgia Senator Jon Ossoff required attendees at his campaign event on Saturday to show photo ID, despite simultaneously opposing such measures when it comes to voting in federal elections. 

According to a report by Fox News, email confirmations for an Ossoff rally in Atlanta told attendees that a “matching government-issued ID will be verified against the RSVP list by name to enter." The ironic requirement from his event drew backlash from Republican Representative Mike Collins, who is challenging Ossoff for his Senate seat this year.

"Typical Jon Ossoff to say one thing and do another,” Collins told the outlet. “It’s ridiculous that Jon Ossoff would require a government ID to listen to him speak about why you shouldn’t need a government ID to vote.”

Republican lawmakers have recently called for the passage of the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act, legislation led by Representative Anna Paulina Luna that would require proof of citizenship for Americans to register to vote in federal elections and a photo ID for voting. The GOP has argued that although it is illegal for noncitizens to vote in federal elections, states have not properly vetted their voter rules. 

Despite the bill’s widespread popularity among the American public, Ossoff blasted the SAVE Act last year, saying, "This is a nakedly partisan, totally unworkable, bad-faith bill cynically intended to disenfranchise millions of eligible voters.” Because of this, he was accused of hypocrisy, as his campaign event noted that photo ID was essential for security.

"Due to security requirements… be ready to show ID that matches our RSVP list and these arrival instructions (printed or on your phone)," the event confirmation email said.