OnPolitics: The 'moral' case for voting rights

It's another busy day on voting rights, OnPolitics readers.

The background: President Joe Biden was in Philadelphia Tuesday using his bully pulpit to warn that right to vote is under assault. This comes one day after more than 50 Texas House Democrats fled their home state to prevent a vote on legislation they say curbs voting rights.

Vice President Kamala Harris this week will meet with the Texas lawmakers, White House Deputy Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said Tuesday.

It's Mabinty, with the news of the day.

Voting rights a top priority for Biden

In what he described as the "most significant test of our democracy since the Civil War," Biden in Philadelphia warned Americans that there is an "assault" on democracy and urged them to fight efforts in Republican-led states to pass laws that restrict voting access.

"The 21st century Jim Crow assault is real," he said during his speech at the National Constitution Center to roughly 300 people. "It's unrelenting."

Biden called on Congress to pass the For the People Act and the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act, saying it's a "national imperative." Biden’s remarks come as at least 14 states have enacted laws that restrict voting access following last year’s presidential election and as former President Donald Trump continues to spread baseless claims that his loss to Biden was the result of widespread voter fraud.

Biden has said that voting rights will be a priority for his administration and has tasked Harris with leading the administration’s efforts to protect ballot access.

So, how well did it go over? While Biden's speech Tuesday received praise from some activists, they also urged the president and vice president to do everything in their power — even making changes to the filibuster — to have Congress pass the bills that will protect voters.

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Team Trump member says bye to the GOP

A lawyer who worked on Donald Trump's election challenges says she is leaving the Republican Party in the wake of reports that an RNC official described her election fraud claims as "a joke."

"The Republican Party has failed Donald Trump and true conservatives under swamp leadership," attorney Jenna Ellis tweeted Monday about the latest dispute between Trump loyalists and GOP leadership, particularly the Republican National Committee.

In a November email, RNC chief counsel Justin Riemer said Ellis and fellow Trump attorney Rudy Giuliani were pushing nonsensical conspiracy theories about election procedures in President Joe Biden's victory, according to a new book by author Michael Wolff.

Ellis, who discussed her decision to leave the GOP on media outlets Real America's Voice and Newsmax, said the Riemer email proves that Republican Party officials did not fight hard enough for Trump.

Shout out to 'The Crown' for its 24 Emmy nominations today! — Mabinty

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: President Joe Biden presses for voting rights legislation