The typically ceremonial process of Congress formally tallying the Electoral College votes on Wednesday will instead serve as a stress test of American democracy.
President Trump
Donald TrumpWarnock defeats Loeffler in Georgia Senate runoff The Memo: Georgia voters deliver blow to Trump Eric Trump warns of primary challenges for Republicans who don't object to election results MORE’s push for congressional Republicans to try to overturn his election loss to President-elect Joe Biden
Joe BidenThe Memo: Georgia voters deliver blow to Trump Warnock win puts Democrats within reach of Senate majority Eric Trump warns of primary challenges for Republicans who don't object to election results MORE is sure to fail, but not without a long, drawn-out brawl expected to last into the night or possibly Thursday.
Here are the top five things to watch during the proceedings that kick off Wednesday at 1 p.m.
ADVERTISEMENT
How many Republicans will vote to challenge Biden’s victory?
In the Senate, a majority of Republicans are expected to follow Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell
Addison (Mitch) Mitchell McConnellThe Memo: Georgia voters deliver blow to Trump On The Money: Wall Street zeros in on Georgia runoffs | Seven states sue regulator over 'true lender' rule on interest rates | 2021 deficit on track to reach .3 trillion Trump pressure campaign splits 2024 GOP contenders MORE’s (R-Ky.) lead and not support challenging results of the Electoral College, although his leadership team isn’t whipping the votes.
Thirteen Senate Republicans are expected to back some number of challenges.
But it’s another story in the House, where Republicans are hoping to erase Democrats’ historically thin majority in next year’s midterm elections and retake control by galvanizing Trump’s base.
Upward of 100 House Republicans are expected to join the effort led by Rep. Mo Brooks
Morris (Mo) Jackson BrooksHouse GOP debates Electoral College vote DC braces for pro-Trump protests amid Electoral College challenge McCarthy says he supports effort to challenge Electoral College results MORE (R-Ala.) to overturn the results of the Electoral College. And in contrast to McConnell, House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy
Kevin Owen McCarthyTulsi Gabbard blasts new House rules on gender neutral language as 'height of hypocrisy' House GOP debates Electoral College vote McMorris Rodgers floats vacating Speaker's chair over Democrat's in-person vote after COVID diagnosis MORE (R-Calif.) has signaled he backs the push.
House Republican Conference Chairwoman Liz Cheney
Elizabeth (Liz) Lynn CheneyHoyer says Trump Georgia call likely criminal, wants 'serious' investigation McMorris Rodgers floats vacating Speaker's chair over Democrat's in-person vote after COVID diagnosis Obama warns of threats to 'fundamental principles of our democracy' after Trump Georgia call MORE (Wyo.) is the highest-ranking House Republican to oppose the Electoral College challenge, siding with conservatives like Reps. Chip RoyCharles (Chip) Eugene RoyPelosi warns lawmakers to social distance after many flout guidelines The Hill's Morning Report - Presented by Facebook - Trump's new phone call controversy, Georgia runoffs headline big week Chip Roy challenges seating of House members from six presidential battleground states MORE (Texas) and Thomas Massie
Thomas Harold MassieTrump Georgia call divides House GOP Coalition of 7 conservative House Republicans says they won't challenge election results Hillicon Valley: Texas, other states bring antitrust lawsuit against Google | Krebs emphasizes security of the election as senators butt heads | Twitter cracks down on coronavirus vaccine misinformation MORE (Ky.) who are also frustrated with the fractures Trump is causing in his final days in office.
ADVERTISEMENT
“I think Trump’s diminishing his influence with this at the end. If he could have said, you know, 'We lost, we're going to keep our coalition together, we're going to come back stronger in four years whether I run for president or not, we're going to have influence.' But instead, it feels like he's just blowing up not the GOP but his own movement by putting them through this at the end,” Massie told reporters.
In any case, both the House and Senate are expected to reject the challenges whether most Republicans join in the bipartisan majorities or not.
Which states will Republicans challenge?
At least one lawmaker from each chamber must object to a given state’s results in order to trigger up to two hours of debate and a vote.
House Republicans are pushing to object to the Electoral College votes in six swing states: Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.
But so far, Senate Republicans have only indicated plans to object to three states: Sen. Ted Cruz
Rafael (Ted) Edward CruzAre Republicans tilting at windmills with their electoral challenge? More than 170 top business executives urge Congress to certify Biden's win Trump election fight puts Pence in no-win situation MORE (Texas) to Arizona, Sen. Josh Hawley
Joshua (Josh) David HawleyAre Republicans tilting at windmills with their electoral challenge? Police say protest outside Hawley home not 'that big of a deal' More than 170 top business executives urge Congress to certify Biden's win MORE (Mo.) to Pennsylvania and Sen. Kelly Loeffler
Kelly LoefflerWarnock defeats Loeffler in Georgia Senate runoff The Memo: Georgia voters deliver blow to Trump Warnock win puts Democrats within reach of Senate majority MORE (Ga.) to her home state.
“Progress made. NEED more!” Brooks tweeted on Tuesday afternoon. “STILL NEED SENATORS FOR MI NV WI! America — urge your senators to fight voter fraud & election theft!”
The Trump campaign’s legal challenges to results in those states — which have all been certified by election officials — have almost entirely failed without sufficient evidence of voter fraud.
How will Trump’s Georgia call play into the debate?
The audio published by The Washington Post three days before Wednesday’s debate of Trump pressuring the Georgia secretary of state to “find” enough votes to overturn his defeat has only made it harder for Republicans to back the effort.
Sen. Marsha Blackburn
Marsha BlackburnTrump pressure campaign splits 2024 GOP contenders Blackburn: 'Everyone has said' Trump call was 'not a helpful call' Graham: Electoral College challenge 'a political dodge' MORE (R-Tenn.), who is backing the challenge in the Senate, acknowledged during a Fox News interview that Trump’s conversation was “not a helpful call.”
Rep. Adam Kinzinger
Adam Daniel KinzingerTrump Georgia call divides House GOP Perdue defends Trump over call pressuring Georgia secretary of state Georgia elections board member says Trump could be charged for soliciting election fraud MORE (R-Ill.) warned his GOP colleagues considering objecting to the results that “you cannot — in light of this — do so with a clean conscience.”
ADVERTISEMENT
Democrats, meanwhile, are sure to bring up the call during debate to defend the Electoral College results, particularly any objection to Georgia, which Biden won by 11,779 votes.
Top Democrats, including House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff
Adam Bennett SchiffPelosi names House Democratic leaders for Electoral College debate US intel agencies blame Russia for massive SolarWinds hack Ocasio-Cortez says Trump's Georgia call is an impeachable offense MORE (Calif.) and House Majority Whip James Clyburn (S.C.), have suggested Trump’s actions were potentially criminal or even impeachable.
More than 90 Democrats have signed on to a resolution introduced by Rep. Hank Johnson
Henry (Hank) C. JohnsonFive themes to watch during Electoral College battle Hoyer says Trump Georgia call likely criminal, wants 'serious' investigation Ocasio-Cortez says Trump's Georgia call is an impeachable offense MORE (D-Ga.) to censure Trump for trying to reverse the election results in Georgia.
2024 politics to take center stage
Republicans considered potential presidential contenders will be at the center of Wednesday’s drama.
Hawley and Cruz are both viewed as possible candidates in 2024 as they lead the charge catering to Trump’s wishes, while on the other side are senators like Sens. Tom Cotton
Tom Bryant CottonTrump pressure campaign splits 2024 GOP contenders Trump raises pressure on Pence, incorrectly stating he could throw out electors The Hill's Morning Report - Presented by Facebook - Georgia election day is finally here; Trump hopes Pence 'comes through for us' to overturn results MORE (R-Ark.) and Ben Sasse
Ben SasseTrump pressure campaign splits 2024 GOP contenders The GOP must stop Americans from believing elections are rigged Republican infighting on election intensifies MORE (R-Neb.) who have argued against challenging the presidential election results.
ADVERTISEMENT
Then there’s Trump himself, who has hinted at launching another presidential campaign after he leaves the White House on Jan. 20.
Perhaps the potential 2024 contender in the toughest position is Vice President Pence, who as president of the Senate will be tasked with overseeing Congress’s counting of the Electoral College votes.
That ceremonial role means that Pence will have to formally announce Biden’s election victory over Trump once the count concludes.
But Trump is forcing Pence into a final loyalty test by pressuring him to challenge Biden’s win, even though the vice president doesn’t have the power to do so.
“I hope Mike Pence
Michael (Mike) Richard PenceTrump attorney Jay Sekulow refutes claims of Pence authority over electors Trump election fight puts Pence in no-win situation Pence aide pushes back on Navarro claim that VP could delay election certification MORE comes through for us, I have to tell you,” Trump said during a rally in Georgia this week. “Of course, if he doesn't come through, I won't like him as much.”
How does Congress handle the threats of COVID-19 and protests?
ADVERTISEMENT
An unexpected House floor vote on Sunday night that resulted in lawmakers of both parties crowding together in clear violation of social distancing guidelines showed that they’re still struggling with health measures nearly a year into the pandemic.
A day later, Rep. Kay Granger
Norvell (Kay) Kay GrangerGOP Rep. Kevin Brady tests positive for COVID-19 The Hill's Morning Report - Presented by Facebook - Georgia election day is finally here; Trump hopes Pence 'comes through for us' to overturn results Overnight Health Care: Trump officials debate cutting Moderna dose in half to speed up COVID-19 vaccination | Cuomo says more contagious coronavirus variant found in upstate New York | Amazon, JP Morgan, Berkshire Hathaway health care venture to disband MORE (R-Texas) announced that she had tested positive for COVID-19 after arriving in Washington despite a lack of symptoms.
“We continue to urge members to come vote and leave, and not spend time on the floor if they are not needed on the floor. But that hasn't always worked as well as we’d like and we continue to admonish members to observe that,” House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer
Steny Hamilton HoyerHoyer says Trump Georgia call likely criminal, wants 'serious' investigation House approves rules package for new Congress Chip Roy challenges seating of House members from six presidential battleground states MORE (D-Md.) acknowledged on Tuesday.
The Capitol physician and sergeant at arms issued a memo stating that House floor access on Wednesday will be limited to members scheduled to speak and are otherwise “encouraged to remain in their offices unless called to vote.”
The sergeant at arms issued a separate memo this week advising members and staff to arrive early and use the underground tunnels to move about the Capitol complex in anticipation of protests and extensive street closures. The Capitol Police will also have additional personnel on duty to boost its security presence.
Trump has repeatedly encouraged his supporters to protest in the nation's capital on Wednesday, worrying local officials that there could be potentially violent clashes in the streets.
The Proud Boys and members of other armed right-wing organizations also have committed to participating in demonstrations. Trump has said he will make an appearance before his supporters on Wednesday.
"five" - Google News
January 06, 2021 at 08:24PM
https://ift.tt/3hOSSUx
Five things to watch during Electoral College battle | TheHill - The Hill
"five" - Google News
https://ift.tt/2YnPDf8
https://ift.tt/2SxXq6o
No comments:
Post a Comment