The Grift And The Ego

Trump calls Georgia governor to pressure him for help overturning Biden's win in the state https://t.co/L7uT6oylmS

— The Washington Post (@washingtonpost) December 5, 2020

Hours before he was scheduled to hold a rally in Georgia on behalf of the state’s two GOP senators, Trump pressed Kemp to call a special session of the state legislature to get lawmakers to override the results and appoint electors that would back him, according to a person familiar with the conversation who spoke on the condition of anonymity to describe the private call. He also asked the governor to demand an audit of signatures on mail ballots, something Kemp has previously noted he has no power to do.

Kemp declined the entreaty from Trump, according to the person.

As I told the President this morning, I’ve publicly called for a signature audit three times (11/20, 11/24, 12/3) to restore confidence in our election process and to ensure that only legal votes are counted in Georgia. #gapol https://t.co/xdXrhf1vI2

— Brian Kemp (@BrianKempGA) December 5, 2020

Even if officials audited signatures on ballot envelopes, it would be impossible to match them with the ballots themselves, which are separated from envelopes during processing to protect voters’ privacy, as required in the Georgia Constitution.

Kemp has requested that Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger conduct an audit, but his office has also made clear that the governor has no power to order such a move.

“Georgia law prohibits the governor from interfering in elections. The Secretary of State, who is an elected constitutional officer, has oversight over elections that cannot be overrriden by executive order,” Kemp’s spokesman said several days ago in response to Trump’s public demands.

Kemp has also said that he will not call for a special session of the legislature.

Lawyers for Raffensperger have determined that current law gives Georgia legislators no role in seating electors.

I blame Trump for being too stupid to understand how government and laws work.  I blame The Atlantic for promoting the stupid idea that legislatures have a role in this process after Election Day. 

But mostly:  just how pathetic is Trump now?