Cruz, cadre of other GOP senators vow not to certify Biden win without probe of baseless voter fraud claims
By Colby Itkowitz, Mike DeBonis
Nearly a dozen Republican senators and senators-elect led by Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas said Saturday they will reject electors from certain states won by President-elect Joe Biden, citing unsubstantiated allegations of voter fraud and calling for an emergency 10-day audit of the results, an unprecedented attempt to thwart the democratic process.
The senators contend they are not trying to reverse the election results, but rather give voice to those who don’t believe it was conducted fairly, despite no investigation nor court finding any evidence of wrongdoing.
Still, President Trump and many of his Republican allies see next week’s joint session of Congress to certify Biden’s victory as their last stand to contest the election results, even if doing so is largely political theater to undermine and delay Biden’s inevitable win.
“To wit, Congress should immediately appoint an Electoral Commission, with full investigatory and fact-finding authority, to conduct an emergency 10-day audit of the election returns in the disputed states,” the senators wrote in a joint statement. “Once completed, individual states would evaluate the Commission’s findings and could convene a special legislative session to certify a change in their vote, if needed.”
Sens. Ron Johnson (Wis.), James Lankford (Okla.), Steve Daines (Mont.), John Neely Kennedy (La.), Marsha Blackburn (Tenn.) and Mike Braun (Ind.) — along with Sens.-elect Cynthia M. Lummis (Wyo.), Roger Marshall (Kan.), Bill Hagerty (Tenn.) and Tommy Tuberville (Ala.) — joined Cruz. Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) has already said he will contest the electoral college vote certification.
Vice President Pence, who will preside over the joint session in his role as president of the Senate, supports the GOP lawmakers’ efforts, according to a top aide.
“The Vice President welcomes the efforts of members of the House and Senate to use the authority they have under the law to raise objections and bring forward evidence before the Congress and the American people on Jan. 6,” said Marc Short, Pence’s chief of staff.
By law, if members from both the House and the Senate object to the electoral college slates, both chambers must debate and then vote on the contest. The Republicans’ plans to muddy up the proceedings could force Wednesday’s ceremony to go all night and into the next morning.
READ MORE: Cruz, cadre of other GOP senators vow not to certify Biden win without probe of baseless voter fraud claims
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Posted By: Dea. Ron Gray Sr.
Saturday, January 2nd 2021 at 10:18PM
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