Posted on 01/06/2021 1:37:52 PM PST by Tolerance Sucks Rocks
Vice President Mike Pence on Wednesday said that he doesn’t believe he has the “unilateral authority” to decide between competing slates of electors.
“It is my considered judgment that my oath to support and defend the Constitution constrains me from claiming unilateral authority to determine which electoral votes should be counted and which should not,” Pence said in a statement released just before a joint session of Congress began.
As president of the Senate, Pence is presiding over the session. The purpose of the session is to count electoral votes.
Under the Electoral College system, voters choose electors. Those electors then vote, almost always for the candidate that received the most ballots in their state. Congress meets in the January after an election to tally the votes.
Typically a rote affair, this session has taken on heightened significance after seven states sent two certificates to Washington, one for Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden and one for President Donald Trump. Biden won the states but Trump has said he was cheated.
Trump and some Republicans argue that Pence has the “exclusive authority” to reject electoral votes for Biden and choose the ones for Trump. A lawsuit asking a court to support that view was rejected by a district judge. An appeal was dismissed, though the plaintiffs earlier Wednesday asked the Supreme Court to intervene.
I’m no Constitutional scholar And my education was a public one, But it was my understanding that pence was to open the envelopes, hear the objections, and if anything was objected, it would go into a hearing. The problem is, I was watching the live feed from outside the Capitol building when the word went around that Pence had “accepted the electors.” That is the point that the crowd started turning around and heading back towards the Capitol. I thought they were hearing the Arizona discussion at the time. So when people started storming the stairs, I thought he must have overturned the Arizona objection. This is the problem with not having a media you can trust.
“... it is a false equivalency, comparing the 2016 election to the fraudulent mess we had last November.”
Not according to Schumer today on the floor - there is no evidence of massive voter fraud. Cruz spoke immediately afterwards and called for an expedited review, and if things are as Schumer says, he should welcome it because nothing will be found and it will give significant numbers of Americans confidence in the electoral system. Cruz gave a very reasoned speech that fell on deaf ears attached to bodies with cold blood, white livers and corrupt hearts.
Thanks Pence, knew you were going to stab us in the back.
“It is my considered judgment that my oath to support and defend the Constitution constrains me from claiming unilateral authority to determine which electoral votes should be counted and which should not,” Pence said in a statement released just before a joint session of Congress began.
***** send this yellow belly to the front lines, Patton
************DJT I told you Pence was a mistake day one
Nobody in the last couple of weeks has shown ANY comprehension of what the VPOTUS is -
He/She is NOT assistant POTUS
POTUS is not his/her ‘boss’
Has absolutely no Executive power
Is ‘parliamentary’ presiding officer of Senate (but can break a tie vote) - that is what all this fuss is about but it is purely pro-forma. (BTW - he/she receives pay from US Senate)
Does not serve at will of anybody
Becomes POTUS upon vacancy
That’s it! So why give Pence all this s$#t?
If he were around, ask Spiro Agnew for amplification
They make people.... FEEL BETTER!!!!
“Of course. But he, nor Pence, or algore...or ANY other VP does NOT have the unilateral authority to reject elector votes.
It’s just not within their authority...and thank God for that.”
What do you think will happen in 2024 when Trump is elected to a second term, demonkkkkraps allege voter fraud or previous “crimes” by Trump, and Kamala Harris is VP?
I have to laugh at some of the people here surprised by this! You seriously didn’t see this coming?
I just changed my party affiliation to unaffiliated. I’m done voting! I hope the Republican Party dies today!
There were many 'trolls' 'quislings' 'Hitlers' 'racists' over the last 8 weeks who displayed correctly how Pence would perform on Jan 06. You thought it was just because he was 'just another politician,' others thought it had to do with the constitution.
Exactly. But some how it’s Pence’s fault?
May he burn in hell
This sort of thing is why I don’t think the Veep was given this magical unilateral power to reject votes. He could always use the power as a sort of power grab for a favored candidate (in this case, Trump).
However, there were two good suggestions on the thread for how to get around that without caving in to a fraudulent result. He really should have considered those options.
There will be more Presidential elections. It’s just that, for the time being, they will be pre-decided. Just like in good ol’ Venezuela.
Sure, accounting to the US Constitution. That still operates in the US.
Consult Thomas Jefferson please .....
I did! Please see the 12th Amendment.
Totally agree. The constitutional lawyer was on War Room just a while ago, and he said that the lawyers and POTUS did NOT ask him to reject the votes, but did state that he could ask the legislators to straighten it out—as several of the state legislators have requested be done.
So your theory is Thomas Jefferson never was President. Go away troll !
Oh good grief. Read about the Election of 1800. Even head over to Wikipedia and read it.
Get back in the basement!
Seems you’re underestimating the Constitution ....
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