Bipartisan Senate Group Strikes Deal to Rewrite Electoral Count Act

The New York Times ^ | July 20, 2022 | Carl Hulse

[Trump20162020]

The changes outlined by the senators are intended to prevent a repeat of the effort on Jan. 6, 2021, to overturn the presidential election in Congress.

WASHINGTON — A bipartisan group of senators proposed new legislation on Wednesday to modernize the 135-year-old Electoral Count Act, working to overhaul a law that President Donald J. Trump tried to abuse on Jan. 6, 2021, to interfere with Congress’s certification of his election defeat.

The legislation aims to guarantee a peaceful transition from one president to the next, after the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol demonstrated how the current law could be manipulated to disrupt the process. One measure would make it more difficult for lawmakers to challenge a state’s electoral votes when Congress meets to make its official count. It would also clarify that the vice president has no discretion over the results and set out the steps to begin a presidential transition.

[marktwain]

So, the Democrat again work to change long standing rules to their perceived benefit.

[Baldwin77]

So Trump broke the law but we have to rewrite it so he can’t break the new law?

[VTenigma]

“This is fine” /s

[Baldwin77]

Do they have 60 votes?

[butlerweave]

Why not throw out voting and nominate yourselves/family or designate the current Politicians the US Royal Family and they pick a King/Queen

[slumber1]

The fact that they want to codify this into law tells you that they all know the VP’s role is not simply ceremonial. If it was clearly ceremonial, they wouldn’t need to do this. Tying up a few loose ends so it can’t happen again.

[Fungi]

“to prevent a repeat of the effort on Jan. 6, 2021, to overturn the presidential election in Congress.” That never happened.

[Trump20162020]

They have all Democrats plus at least eight Republicans. With the rewrite, they’ll likely be able to get two more.

[Louis Foxwell]

So this makes no effort to contain or otherwise correct illegal balloting by any state. The democrats will rue the day. These restrictions on due process are myopic. They depend on changing the system back to being fair when they are no longer in control.

[Tolerance Sucks Rocks]

WASHINGTON — A bipartisan group of senators proposed new legislation on Wednesday to modernize the 135-year-old Electoral Count Act, working to overhaul a law that President Donald J. Trump tried to abuse on Jan. 6, 2021, to interfere with Congress’s certification of his election defeat.

The legislation aims to guarantee a peaceful transition from one president to the next, after the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol demonstrated how the current law could be manipulated to disrupt the process. One measure would make it more difficult for lawmakers to challenge a state’s electoral votes when Congress meets to make its official count. It would also clarify that the vice president has no discretion over the results and set out the steps to begin a presidential transition.

Assistant Democrats strike again!

PING!

[butlerweave]

The GOP will be played like fiddle again , they have no clue the dems already destroyed voting

[CommerceComet]

What politicians on both sides of the aisle need to recognize is that if the people are not allowed to make changes peacefully via the ballot box, they will resort to move violent means to make changes.

[AndyJackson]

at least eight Republicans

Mitch and what other self-serving RINO scum.

[sauropod]

The NYT is *so* repulsive!

[Billyv]

A law with no authority. The duties and powers are delineated clearly in the Constitution. Without a Constitutional Amendment the law is of no effect. The law addressed was never used therefore never challenged in the SCOTUS. Pipe dreams of those that would rule the people!

WWG1WGA!

[Lisbon1940]

This should prevent Harris from sending 2024 back to the states.

[Trump20162020]

Without a Constitutional Amendment the law is of no effect.

Weird, the current law being used, the Electoral Count Act, which was passed in 1887, seems to have plenty of effect despite not being a constitutional amendment.

[DoodleDawg]

The fact that they want to codify this into law tells you that they all know the VP’s role is not simply ceremonial. If it was clearly ceremonial, they wouldn’t need to do this.

They need to do it for all of those people who can't read the 12th Amendment and the law governing the counting of electoral votes and who somehow think that the Vice President has any power to interfere with the count. His role is ceremonial, always has been.

[MikelTackNailer]

Beside Ms. Collins, the other Republican members of the bipartisan group backing the overhaul are Senators Shelley Moore Capito of West Virginia, Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, Rob Portman of Ohio, Mitt Romney of Utah, Ben Sasse of Nebraska, Thom Tillis of North Carolina and Todd Young of Indiana.

In addition to Mr. Manchin, the Democrats are Senators Benjamin L. Cardin of Maryland, Chris Coons of Delaware, Christopher S. Murphy of Connecticut, Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire, Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona and Mark Warner of Virginia.

Here's an alternate site with the article. Don't ever give the NYT a click.