But it’s not the verdict of the states, e.g. the voter casting lawful votes or the legislature. It’s a verdict of private parties and the state administration.
Bingo! He’s 100% wrong on this, and it’s not even a difficult question. Does Rand think, as Pence apparently does, that the Constitution contains provisions, and confers authority upon government officials, that are merely ceremonial? That’s absurd.
There is a reason why the Congress is given the role of approving and accepting the electoral votes from the states, including a provision for them to OBJECT to the electors when necessary. I mean, what kind of idiocy has suddenly infected these people? How can they possibly misconstrue the role of objecting, of all things, as a merely “ceremonial” function? The obvious purpose for that role is to empower the Congress to at least seek clarity when the electoral votes’ provenance is uncertain, or to reject them outright when they are clearly in error.
A 3-year old could figure this out. Rand Paul isn’t stupid, nor is he ignorant of the Constitution. He simply is yet another coward who is afraid to do what is right.
Rand is a leftist. He doesn’t care.