NC NAACP slams Gov. McCrory for 'vulgar misuse of political power' over voter ID law

North Carolina NAACP President Rev. William Barber on Tuesday accused Gov. McCrory (R-NC) of "a vulgar misuse of political power" by signing a photo ID law that opponents say will disenfranchise minority and other voters.

At a Tuesday press conference, Barber said the the NAACP would be suing the state for "suppression tactics" that would have a "disproportionate and discriminatory impact, especially on African-Americans and other minorities.

Among other things, the sweeping new law requires a government photo ID, cuts the number of early voting days and makes it more difficult for students to vote.

"It is an outright attempt to manipulate voting and the result of voting through suppressing the African-American and the votes of others that expand the electorate in ways not often favorable to the support of a narrow and extreme political agenda," Barber explained. "Immediately following the shameful unconstitutional acts of our governor, who with his signature, given authority only by an election by the people, abdicated the sworn promise to sign into law the worst voter suppression omnibus bill in the nation. He abdicated his sworn promised to uphold the Constitution when he signed this into law."

Barber pointed out that McCrory had added "further insult" and "shame to his act" by defending the law in a 96-second YouTube video, where he accused "the extreme left" of using "scare tactics."

"It took 200 years to secure and protect the right to vote from abridgement, and in 96 seconds, this governor gave his pitiful and untruthful rationale for undermining our rights. The governor that supported and signed some of the most divisive legislation in North Carolina's history called us divisive."

"He claims that we use scare tactics, when it is clearly documented that he and his band of extremists have used scare tactics about voter fraud that are contrary to facts and evidence," Barber said. "And he called this measure 'common-sense legislation.' We, too, would call it common. But we consider that one of the synonyms for common is vulgar, lacking sophistication or good taste, unrefined. So by that definition, his actions are common, a vulgar misuse of political power designed to manipulate and rig elections."

Watch this video from WRAL, broadcast Aug. 13, 2013.