Both Houses must vote jointly to deny any electors votes from being recognized and counted on January 6. And that will take written objections by at least one House member and a concurring Senator. Debate would (I presume) be on those written objections. The VP has nothing to say about the outcome, unless there is a tie in the Senate. The other role the VP has is to announce the new President after acceptance of the electoral college votes in the House and Senate.This is not a "dueling electors" situation. The legislature didn't nominate those Republican electors. https://t.co/W0T72okQ9j
— Andrew Solender (@AndrewSolender) December 14, 2020
Without the formal objections and a vote by both houses to act on those objections (rather than reject them), nothing changes. Rand Paul might join some House members (but don't count on it), or maybe Ted Cruz (again, highly unlikely). But the Senate won't go along, and even if it does vote on party lines, the House won't concur.
If they don't agree, the challenge(s) fail, and status quo stands. It never gets to the Supreme Court. Ever. And if it did they wouldn't accept it, because courts don't decide elections. Period.
This is over. Trump lost. Move along.
If this isn't enough to prove the Electoral College must be junked I don't know what could. This is more baroque than a baroque royal coronation in which any step could unravel things, at least theoretically. It was OK as long as that was only theoretical, the next time it might not be, again.
ReplyDeleteIt’s a Rune Goldberg way of electing a President, that’s for sure.
ReplyDeleteOr Rube Goldberg. Old fingers and old eyes. Not a good combination.
ReplyDelete