There is a saying that goes: “Much ado about nothing.” It perfectly applies to Republicans in Congress who will oppose the certification of the triumph of President-elect Joe Biden this 6 of January.
The reason is that more than 100 representatives and 13 Senators have strong pressure from their peers against it, but above all few possibilities to annul the vote of the Electoral College, due to the lack of evidence about the alleged electoral fraud that the president Donald Trump alleges.
In fact, Senator Josh Hawley (Missouri), the first to publicly reveal that he would challenge the process from the Senate, tries to qualify the movement of which he is part, which has in Ted Cruz (Texas) another visible leader.
In an interview on Fox News, the youngest senator was cornered by Bert B aier, who asked if the objective was that the 20 January President Trump was sworn in as President 46.
“That depends on what happens on Wednesday, I mean, that’s why we have the debate” , Hawley said. “I have a responsibility in this joint session of Congress to say: ‘I have no problem with that’ or ‘I have a problem with that.’”
None of the opponents to which The election is certified has shown signs of having clear elements to push a vote in its favor.
Meanwhile, all Democrats are expected to reject the motions, as well as dozens of Republicans who have demanded their colleagues end this movement, as high-ranking senators have called: Susan Collins (Maine), Bill Cassidy (Louisiana), Lisa Murkowski (Alaska) and Mitt Romney (Utah). Others have joined them, such as Jim Inhofe (Oklahoma).
“Challenging the certification of a state, given how specific the Constitution is, would be a violation of my oath in office; it’s not something I’m willing to do and it’s not something Oklahomans want me to do, ”Inhofe.
Senate Minority Leader, Charles Schumer (New York), confident that some Republicans’ challenge will end in failed attempt.
“Joe Biden will be President of the United States in 15 days, ”he tweeted. “Kamala Harris will be Vice President of the United States at 15 days. ”
Joe Biden will be President of the United States in 15 days .
Kamala Harris will be Vice President of the United States in 15 days.
– Chuck Schumer (@SenSchumer) January 5, 2021
The biggest complication would be in the Senate, since in the House of Representatives the Democrats dominate the stage, although the Republican leader of the anti-certification movement, Matt Gaetz (Florida), considered that if the president Nancy Pelosi (California) ignoring the objection of the Republican Party would send a bad signal. He claimed that they have the support of the Republicans in the Senate, but forgot to say, that only of 13.
“We have the support of the members of the United States Senate” , he claimed. “A question in the air is whether or not Nancy Pelosi will allow the two hours of constitutionally authorized debate on these issues… I think it will look very bad if the House of the People does not hold the debate if we have a constitutionally acceptable objection signed by a member of the House and a senator and we will remove that obstacle. ”
Gaertz is not wrong if there is consensus on the debate. There are reports that indicate that it could extend to almost 10 hours. After the discussion, the vote to accept an investigation into the electoral process requires a majority of both houses. That’s unlikely, based on calculations. The joint session will start at 1: 00 pm
Trump’s false hope
President Trump, meanwhile, has celebrated the opposition senators, and described those who criticize them as “Group of Surrender.”
“The ‘Surrender Group’ within the Republican Party will fall into infamy as weak and ineffective ‘guardians’ of our Nation, who were willing to accept the certification of fraudulent presidential numbers!” , wrote.
The “Surrender Caucus” within the Republican Party will go down in infamy as weak and ineffective “guardians” of our Nation, who were willing to accept the certification of fraudulent presidential numbers!
– Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 4, 2021
At his rally in Georgia, the President Trump claimed that Vice President Mike Pence “has the power” to reject the decision of the Electoral College, which confirmed 306 votes for Biden against 232 for the current president.
“The vice president has the power to reject fraudulently elected voters” , he falsely declared.
It should be noted that the role of the vice president is to deliver the votes to be counted in Congress, not to disqualify the results of the Electoral College and, in fact, according to reports from CNN, Pence and White House advisers have tried to explain to President Trump that formality without much influence.
The president has supported the call for half a dozen organizations and PACs in their favor to demonstrate this Wednesday . The appointment is at 9: 01 in the morning in front of the White House and it is expected that there will be excesses, so businesses on main avenues have protected their sideboards.
External pressure
The pressure for Congress is not only internal , since 10 former Secretaries of Defense demand that the Constitution is respected and the election is qualified, as well as a group of about 232 business leaders .
“Each one of us took an oath to support and defend the Constitution against all enemies, national and international. We do not swear it to an individual or to a party ”, indicated the former secretaries. “US elections and the peaceful transfers of power that result are the hallmark of our democracy… This year should be no exception.