Senator Josh Hawley (R-Mo) said Wednesday in a statement that he will oppose the election college victory of President-elect Joe Biden during the January 6 joint session of Congress, alleging that some states did not follow their election laws and that Big Tech interfered on Biden’s behalf.
Why it’s important: Hawley is the first senator to say he will oppose certification, joining a group of House Republicans. Biden will continue to be certified as the winner, but the move will force Senate Republicans to record whether they agree with Trump’s baseless allegations – many of which have been expelled in the courts – that there was widespread election fraud .
What it says:
After the 2004 and 2016 elections, Democrats in Congress opposed during the certification of election votes in order to raise concerns about electoral integrity. Democratic leaders and the media congratulated them when they did. And they had a right to do so. But now those of us who care about the integrity of this election have a right to do the same.
I cannot vote to certify the results of electoral universities on January 6 without raising the fact that some states, particularly Pennsylvania, do not comply with their own state electoral laws. And I can’t vote to certify without noting the unprecedented effort of mega corporations, including Facebook and Twitter, to interfere in this election, in support of Joe Biden. At the very least, Congress should investigate allegations of electoral fraud and take steps to ensure the integrity of our elections. But so far Congress has not acted.
For these reasons, I will follow the same practice that Congress members of Congress have had in years past and I will object during the January 6 certification process to raise these critical issues.
– Senator Josh Hawley