WASHINGTON (AP) – Republican lawmakers orchestrate unprecedented attempt to overthrow Joe Biden election victory over President Donald Trump has not been decided on a full strategy ahead of Wednesday’s joint session of Congress to confirm the Electoral College vote.
With growing despair, Trump declared Monday at a campaign rally in Georgia that he would “fight like hell” to hold the presidency and appealed to Republican lawmakers to reverse his electoral loss.
But Republicans leading the long-running effort in Congress are still deciding the details of their strategy. An overnight meeting convened by Sen. Ted Cruz of R-Texas reached few conclusions, according to two Republicans familiar with the situation and granted anonymity to discuss it. Cruz will oppose Arizona’s election results, another Republican said. This is probably the first objection considered, in a state that Biden won.
Trump’s attempt to enlist his allies to nullify Biden’s electoral victory by 306-232 it is different from anything that has ever been tried in modern times, and it is sure to fail. Biden will open on January 20th.
However, the days to come will be decisive for his presidency. Trump is whipping up crowds and people are gathering in Washington, where security is on alert. Lawmakers are said to be arriving at the Capitol early and some are considering sleeping at night in their offices to make sure they can access the building safely.
Trump, at the evening rally in Georgia for two Republican Party senators in the by-elections, promised that voters voting for Biden “will not take this White House!”
Trump’s repeated allegations of voter fraud have been completely rejected by Republican and Democratic election officials in state after judges, including Supreme Court justices. Former Trump Attorney General William Barr has also said there is no evidence of fraud that could change the election result.
Vice President Mike Pence will be closely monitored as he chairs the session. He is under increasing pressure from Trump and others to tip the results in Trump’s favor. But Pence has a ceremonial role that does not give him the power to affect the outcome.
“I promise you: Wednesday, we will have the day in Congress,” Pence said as he campaigned in Georgia ahead of Tuesday’s election to determine Senate control.
Trump told Georgia, “I hope our great vice president comes for us. He’s a fantastic guy. Of course, if he doesn’t come, I won’t like him so much. ” He added, “No, Mike is a fantastic guy.”
One of Georgia’s Republicans in Tuesday’s second round – Senator Kelly Loeffler, who faces Democrat Raphael Warnock – told the crowd that he would join the senators formally opposing Biden’s victory. The other Republican seeking re-election, David Perdue, who is running against Democrat Jon Ossoff, will not be eligible to vote.
The attempt to overthrow the presidential election is dividing the Republican party.
Those leading the congressional effort to keep Trump in office are in a hurry, despite the outpouring of condemnation from current and former party officials who warned that the effort is undermining Americans’ faith in democracy. .
Missouri Sen. Josh Hawley and Cruz lead the challenge, along with members of the House, some of whom are on the edge of the party.
According to the rules of the joint session, any objection to the electoral account of a state must be raised by at least one member of the House and one of the Senate.
House Republican lawmakers are signing objections to election voting in six states: Arizona, Georgia, Nevada, Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.
Representative Jim Jordan of Ohio, a senior ally of Trump and the top Republican on the Judiciary Committee, is among those leading this effort.
The day begins with an alphabetical reading of the state’s results.
Cruz’s objection to Arizona will probably be the first to be heard. And Hawley has said he will oppose Pennsylvania’s election results, almost securing a debate on that state.
But it is unclear whether any of the other senators will oppose any other state.
Cruz’s coalition has said it will vote to reject the Electoral College’s records unless Congress launches a commission that will immediately audit the election results. Congress is unlikely to agree. One Republican said this is his focus, not “set aside” election results.
Loeffler may join House Republicans to oppose Georgia, but has not said so publicly.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has tried to prevent his party from participating in this battle, which could help define the Republican Party in the post-Trump era.
Both Hawley and Cruz are potential candidates for the 2024 presidency, competing for the base of Trump supporters.
The most current and former Republican Party officials rebuked the effort to lift the election.
Several Republican officials, including Gov. Larry Hogan of Maryland; Rep. Liz Cheney, of Wyoming, the House’s third GOP leader; and former House Speaker Paul Ryan have criticized the Republican Party’s efforts to annul the election.
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the giant organization of pressure and virtual incarnation of the business establishment, said the election vote challenge “undermines our democracy and the rule of law and will only lead to an additional split in our nation “.
“The 2020 election is over,” a statement from a bipartisan group of 10 senators, including Republicans Susan Collins of Maine, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, Bill Cassidy of Louisiana and Mitt Romney of Utah, said Sunday.
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Associated Press writers Bill Barrow in Atlanta, Steve LeBlanc in Cambridge, Massachusetts, Jim Salter in O’Fallon, Missouri, Alan Fram in Washington, and Tali Arbel of the technology team collaborated.