Sen. Dick Durbin: Koch brothers spearheading voter suppression effort

At the American Civil Liberties Union of Illinois' 2011 Bill of Rights Celebration in Chicago, Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) applauded the end of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell," but warned that other civil rights issues needed to be addressed.

"At the top of our list of priorities is protecting the right to vote," he said. "We have fought for that for decades in this country and we must continue. There is a concerted, coordinated effort in states as close as Indiana and Wisconsin to deny millions of Americans the right to vote. It is spearheaded by the Koch brothers, and their big money interest."

"Who do they want to keep out of the voting booth? Young people, old people, poor people, people with disabilities, people who live in rural areas -- millions of Americans. Judson Phillips, leader of the tea party, thinks voting should be limited to, quote, those who own property, close quote. Isn't that were we started? And to suggest that in a time of record foreclosures."

"If we don't fight to defend the ballot, all of our rights are in jeopardy."

Watch video, courtesy of the ACLU of Illinois, below: