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Dozens of Republicans Planning to Challenge the Electoral College Results

Posted on 01-01-2021

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Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) speaks to reporters in Washington on April 21, 2020. Gaetz is one of dozens of Republican lawmakers who plan on contesting electoral votes during the Jan. 6, 2021, joint session of Congress. (Drew Angerer/Getty Images)
Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) speaks to reporters in Washington on April 21, 2020. Gaetz is one of dozens of Republcian lawmakers who plan on contesting electoral votes during the Jan. 6, 2021, joint session of Congress. (Drew Angerer/Getty Images)
2020 ELECTION
BY ZACHARY STIEBER

 December 31, 2020 Updated: December 31, 2020

BY ZACHARY STIEBER

 At least 25 Republicans plan on challenging electoral votes during next month’s joint session of Congress, according to a tally by The Epoch Times.

Twenty-four representatives and representatives-elect, who will enter office several days before the session, plan on filing objections. Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) is the only member or member-elect of the upper chamber to commit to an objection.

“You’ve got 74 million Americans who feel disenfranchised, who feel like their vote doesn’t matter. And this is the one opportunity that I have as a United States senator, this process right here, my one opportunity to stand up and say something, and that’s exactly what I’m going to do,” Hawley said on Wednesday.

Objections are filed in writing and must have support from at least one member of each chamber. If they do, they trigger a two-hour debate and a vote by the House of Representatives and the Senate. A simple majority in each chamber is required to uphold the challenge.

Rep.-elect Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) told The Epoch Times that the group plans to file objections against the votes from six states, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Michigan, Arizona, and Nevada. They’re mulling an objection to votes from New Mexico.

Rep. Mo Brooks (R-Ala.) was the first to announce plans to file an objection.

“In my judgment, based on what I have seen so far and my own personal experience with voter fraud and election theft by Democrats, in my judgment, if you only could count lawfully cast votes by American citizens, Donald Trump won the Electoral College,” Brooks told The Epoch Times “American Thought Leaders” last month.

A slew of members or members-elect have said this week they’re joining the group plotting the objections.

“If irregularities exist, we should examine and provide solutions to make sure our electoral process is accurate and represents the will of the people,” Rep.-elect Burgess Owens (R-Utah) told news outlets in a statement. “Millions of Americans across this country are concerned about the electoral process and we do them a great disservice by merely ignoring their voices.” 

Former NFL player and Rep.-elect Burgess Owens (R-Utah) addresses the virtual RNC convention on Aug. 26, 2020. (Courtesy of the Committee on Arrangements for the 2020 Republican National Committee via Getty Images)

Epoch Times Photo

Republican Senate leadership opposes the planned objections. About two dozen GOP senators have said they will not object, while others have indicated opposition. A small group—Sens. Kelly Loeffler (R-Ga.), Rand Paul (R-Ky.), Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.), Rick Scott (R-Fla.), and Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas)—have said they may object.

Virtually all Democrats have said they will not object, and have criticized those who plan to challenge votes.  Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden’s spokeswoman told reporters on Wednesday that the team views the counting of electoral votes as a mere formality, while House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) expressed confidence Biden would be confirmed as president-elect.

Here are the lawmakers planning on challenging votes:

Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.)
Rep. Mo Brooks (R-Ala.)
Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.)
Rep. Jody Hice (R-Ga.)
Rep. Brian Babin (R-Texas)
Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-Texas)
Rep. Ted Budd (R-N.C.)
Rep. Jeff Duncan (R-S.C.)
Rep. Lance Gooden (R-Texas)
Rep. Jeff Van Drew (R-N.J.)
Rep. Mark Green (R-Tenn.)
Rep. Ralph Norman (R-S.C.)
Rep. Paul Gosar (R-Ariz.)
Rep. Scott Perry (R-Pa.)
Rep.-elect Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.)
Rep.-elect Madison Cawthorn (R-N.C.)
Rep.-elect Barry Moore (R-Ala.)
Rep.-elect Bob Good (R-Va.)
Rep.-elect Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.)
Rep.-elect Ronny Jackson (R-Texas)
Rep.-elect Burgess Owens (R-Utah)
Rep.-elect Andrew Clyde (R-Ga.)
Rep.-elect Jerry Carl (R-Ala.)
Rep.-elect Yvette Herrell (R-N.M.)
Rep.-elect Diana Harshbarger (R-Tenn.)

Ivan Pentchoukov, Janita Kan, Charlotte Cuthbertson, and Jan Jekielek contributed to this report.

Follow Zachary on Twitter: @zackstieber
 
 
 
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