Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX)
Cruz, who, like Hawley, is thought to be considering a 2024 presidential bid, plans to release a statement this afternoon announcing his plans. Once the Texas Republican does so, several other senators from his party are expected to follow in a coordinated effort they consider distinct from Hawley’s.
Republicans involved in these talks include Sens. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), James Lankford (R-Okla.), Steve Daines (R-Mont.), John Kennedy (R-La.), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), and Mike Braun (R-Ind.), as well as Sens.-elect Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.), Roger Marshall (R-Kan.), Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.) and Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.).
Basically, the exercise on Wednesday will consist of reading the results of each state in alphabetical order. If a House member and a Senator object in writing to any state’s results the two chambers separate and are given two hours to debate whether to accept the challenge. In that the House is controlled by the Democrats, we know the House will vote the effort down. Even though the Senate is led by a bare Republican majority, Democrats will only need a handful of sane GOPers to vote down any challenge. But what this will do is slow down the confirmation of the Electoral College by a rate of two hours for each state the nutjobs challenge. IF the Senate were to agree to the challenge and the House oppose it, the Electoral College Act calls for the tie to be broken by counting the slate of electors certified by the top executive officer of a state – the governor. “The votes of the electors whose appointment shall have been certified by the executive of the State, under the seal thereof, shall be counted.” In all of the swing states Trump has tried to question – Michigan, Wisconsin, Arizona, Georgia, Pennsylvania, and Nevada – the governors have certified Joe Biden electors. All that to say, as I began, that this is all political theater.
Joe Biden and Kamala Harris will be President and Vice President of the United States in 18 days.
— Chuck Schumer (@SenSchumer) January 2, 2021
It is a sad and tragic day for our country that 140 members of the House of Representatives, 13 senators and a defeated president are attempting to undermine American democracy and our Constitution.
They will not succeed.
— Bernie Sanders (@BernieSanders) January 2, 2021
“I did sedition because I was up for re-election” is a helluva thing to explain to your grandkids.
— Brian Schatz (@brianschatz) January 2, 2021
With all due respect to my Republican colleagues in the Senate who are doing this: can you please get a grip? Election officials across the country, including Republican Governors, have certified these results. This is embarrassing. https://t.co/J4GY3TbIZX
— Amy Klobuchar (@amyklobuchar) January 2, 2021
So tell me Ted, you believe there was fraud in 7 States, but not in your own State? You believe that 81 Million Americans Votes Dont Matter? You believe the Media Doesn’t Call the Elections, but in 2016 when they did it was ok… Imagine if Hillary didn’t Concede? @tedcruz
— Jeffrey Dexter Owen (@dylan_rand) January 2, 2021
Today Ted Cruz called to overturn the 2020 election by creating an “Electoral Commission” to review Trump’s FABRICATED claims of fraud. BTW the Electoral Count Act of 1887 was created after the corrupt Electoral Commission failed America as Cruz is aware. https://t.co/6FdQnejxx1
— (((DeanObeidallah))) (@DeanObeidallah) January 2, 2021
Ted Cruz is the master of signing on to things he knows will go nowhere so he looks like he was trying to do something. https://t.co/IARrrKRhPy
— Noam Blum (@neontaster) January 2, 2021