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Folks came out in record numbers to choose a government of, by, and for the people and elect @JoeBiden and @KamalaHarris. The people decided. The election is over. And it's time for us to move forward as a country.
But, why would we think Trump enablers would stop now? Hundreds — led by @RonJohnsonWI, who is up for reelection in '22 btw — are still pursuing a last-ditch, undemocratic effort to undermine the certification of the results on Wednesday. https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/solutions/2021/01/05/ron-johnsons-dangerous-shilling-trump-makes-him-unfit-senate/4138135001/
They are spewing baseless conspiracies and eroding voters' trust in our institutions and in the process. And it's literally costing lives — when our country is in dire need of stable leadership as the COVID-19 pandemic rages.
I thought @danpfeiffer put it perfectly in an email this week. "January 6th is going to be a dark day for Democracy and a low point for the Republican Party, but it is also a clarifying moment about who and what we are fighting against." https://messagebox.substack.com/p/whats-really-behind-the-challenge
Here's what you need to know about tomorrow and Republicans' continued bat-shit fuckery (h/t @ElectionTask).
First, this is where we are in the timeline: Congress meets Wednesday in a joint session to officially count the electoral votes cast in December.
First, this is where we are in the timeline: Congress meets Wednesday in a joint session to officially count the electoral votes cast in December.
Yes, Republicans are going to object. (See: Ron Johnson)
How do objections to election results work exactly? If a member from both the House and Senate sign onto an objection to a state's electoral votes, the House and Senate then meet separately to debate and vote on the objection. The debate is limited to 2hrs. max.
During that time, each member can speak once and for no more than 5 minutes. A state's slate of electors can't be rejected unless both chambers agree to do so. Frankly, they don't have the votes. So, this is a dangerous political exercise but the election outcome will not change.
How seriously should we take it?
Well, outside of how it will serve to corrode public confidence in a free and fair election, not at all. It's not for Congress to second-guess or disagree with the results. Their job is to count the votes.
Well, outside of how it will serve to corrode public confidence in a free and fair election, not at all. It's not for Congress to second-guess or disagree with the results. Their job is to count the votes.
No, Pence cannot weigh in. (See: the Electoral Count Act)
Yes, objections of this kind have happened before, but what makes these different is we've never had a president and his supporters who refused to concede (see: 2004, 2000).
Also, Republicans' arguments on fraud and irregularities? They're lying.
Every state has canvassed and certified its results
Battleground state conducted post-election audits
International observers issued a report indicating there were no serious irregularities
Every state has canvassed and certified its resultsBattleground state conducted post-election auditsInternational observers issued a report indicating there were no serious irregularities
Also, just because every tweet thread should give a shout out to @marceelias, scores of court decisions have rejected challenges to Biden’s victory as meritless: the current count is 62 losses in 63 lawsuits filed since Election Day. https://www.nytimes.com/2020/12/26/us/politics/republicans-voter-fraud.html
Tomorrow, if you have Republican members of Congress, give them a call. Demand that they refuse to participate in this effort to undermine the will of the voters.
Here's an explainer & the script. Share it.
Like @danpfeiffer said, "This dangerously dumb affront to democracy is the Republican party... They bear responsibility for what is happening and we need to make sure that every voter in the country knows it." https://indivisible.org/resource/congress-only-job-count-votes
Like @danpfeiffer said, "This dangerously dumb affront to democracy is the Republican party... They bear responsibility for what is happening and we need to make sure that every voter in the country knows it." https://indivisible.org/resource/congress-only-job-count-votes
