![]() 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. Instead, Congress appointed an Electoral Commission-consisting of five Senators, five House Members, and five Supreme Court Justices-to consider and resolve the disputed returns. “In 1877, Congress did not ignore those allegations, nor did the media simply dismiss those raising them as radicals trying to undermine democracy. Specifically, the elections in three states-Florida, Louisiana, and South Carolina-were alleged to have been conducted illegally. “The most direct precedent on this question arose in 1877, following serious allegations of fraud and illegal conduct in the Hayes-Tilden presidential race. And, in both 19, a Democratic Senator joined with a Democratic House Member in forcing votes in both houses on whether to accept the presidential electors being challenged. “At that quadrennial joint session, there is long precedent of Democratic Members of Congress raising objections to presidential election results, as they did in 1969, 2001, 2005, and 2017. That vote is the lone constitutional power remaining to consider and force resolution of the multiple allegations of serious voter fraud. “On January 6, it is incumbent on Congress to vote on whether to certify the 2020 election results. Twice, the Supreme Court had the opportunity to do so twice, the Court declined. “Ideally, the courts would have heard evidence and resolved these claims of serious election fraud. And it poses an ongoing threat to the legitimacy of any subsequent administrations. ![]() “But, whether or not our elected officials or journalists believe it, that deep distrust of our democratic processes will not magically disappear. “Some Members of Congress disagree with that assessment, as do many members of the media. Reuters/Ipsos polling, tragically, shows that 39% of Americans believe ‘the election was rigged.’ That belief is held by Republicans (67%), Democrats (17%), and Independents (31%). ![]() “And those allegations are not believed just by one individual candidate. By any measure, the allegations of fraud and irregularities in the 2020 election exceed any in our lifetimes. “Voter fraud has posed a persistent challenge in our elections, although its breadth and scope are disputed. The 2020 election, however, featured unprecedented allegations of voter fraud, violations and lax enforcement of election law, and other voting irregularities. “The election of 2020, like the election of 2016, was hard fought and, in many swing states, narrowly decided. And, if the voters choose to elect a new office-holder, our Nation should have a peaceful transfer of power. ![]() “When the voters fairly decide an election, pursuant to the rule of law, the losing candidate should acknowledge and respect the legitimacy of that election. Those elections, in turn, must comply with the Constitution and with federal and state law. “America is a Republic whose leaders are chosen in democratic elections. ![]() Sens. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), James Lankford (R-Okla.), Steve Daines (R-Mont.), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) and Mike Braun (R-Ind.), as well as Senators-elect Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.), Roger Marshall (R-Kan.), Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.) and Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.) also issued the joint statement. 6, 2021 to count the Electoral College votes. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) in releasing the following statement in advance of Congress’s meeting on Jan. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |