President Trump met on Tuesday with GOP allies to discuss the possibility of challenging the Electoral College votes on Jan. 6 when congress convenes to tally them. There has been evidence of widespread election fraud in six swing states: Georgia, Pennsylvania, Arizona, Wisconsin, Michigan and Nevada. Chief of Staff, Mark Meadows confirmed the meeting reportedly saying that the members are prepared to "fight back."
Among those attending the meeting were Matt Gaetz (R-FL), Rep. Jody Hice (R-GA.), Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH), Rep. Andy Biggs (R-AZ), Rep. Paul Gosar (R-AZ), and Trump Campaign lawyer Rudy Giuliani. Four representatives-elect who will take their seats on Jan.3 2021 also committed their support: Barry Moore (R-AL), Bob Good (R-VA), Madison Cawthorn (R-NC), and Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA.) They discussed logistics, such as what the objection language for each state would look like and how the floor proceedings will work. Gaetz announced his intentions publicly at Turning Point's Student Action Summit in Florida this weekend.
When Greene exited the meeting, she posted a video tweet, saying, "We aren't going to let this election be stolen by Joe Biden and the Democrats." She encouraged Americans to call their House representatives and Senators to encourage them to support the fight to contest the electors.
Rep. Mo Brooks (R-AL.) has spearheaded efforts to overturn the 2020 election. He has spoken repeatedly on the House floor about election integrity due to his experiences with election fraud when, in 1982, he ran as a Republican in Alabama House District 18. During a speech on the House floor on Nov. 19 he recounted his story of fraud in that election. His investigation at the time revealed that "11 of 45 voting machines—25 percent of all voting machines in my district—were rigged to block votes for Mo Brooks."
In a November interview with American Thought Leaders journalist, Jan Jakielek, Brooks said the “only thing that will get the congressmen and senators to do what is right for our country on this issue of voter fraud and election theft is active participation by American citizens who want honest and accurate elections.” A growing group of men and women in Congress appear to be answering that call.
It is not clear who in the Senate would step up to contest the electors. Brooks says that some Senators may be receptive to the effort. He has not named names. A recent video of Senator-elect Tommy Tuberville (R-AL.) speaking in Georgia about the Jan. 5 special election Senate run-off race in Georgia, shows him telling the crowd not to "give up on" President Trump. Trump confirmed that he had spoken with Tuberville during a Dec. 20 WABC radio show hosted by Trump's personal attorney Rudy Giuliani. It is rumored that Tuberville told the President that he's considering challenging Joe Biden's win on Jan. 6.
There are indications that at least one of the swing states in question is looking at the remedies to address the alleged election fraud. The report Georgia's state senator William Ligon posted is comprehensive, documenting fraud in that state. It concludes that "the certification of the Election should be rescinded and the General Assembly should act to determine the proper Electors to be certified to the Electoral College in the 2020 presidential race." An article by UncoverDC on Dec. 16 reported that alternate slates of Republican electors have been sent from seven states. Republican electors in Michigan, Pennsylvania, Georgia, Nevada, Wisconsin, Arizona, and New Mexico have taken this historic action.
Federal law requires the states to deliver certified Electoral College results to the Vice President, serving as President of the Senate, and other parties by Dec. 23. Then a joint meeting of Congress is required by the 12th Amendment to count the electoral votes and declare the winners of the presidential election. The session on Jan. 6, 2021, starts at 1 p.m.
The Electoral Count Act of 1887 and several federal statutes address questions about contested electors that land in Congress. A report by the Congressional Research Service, updated on Dec. 8, explains how electoral votes are counted and the procedures at the joint session, including what happens when there are objections by members of Congress.
“Objections to individual state returns must be made in writing by at least one member each of the Senate and House of Representatives. If an objection meets these requirements, the joint session recesses and the two houses separate and debate the question in their respective chambers for a maximum of two hours,” the CRS said. “The two houses then vote separately to accept or reject the objection. They then reassemble in joint session and announce the results of their respective votes. An objection to a state’s electoral vote must be approved by both houses in order for any contested votes to be excluded.”
Senate Majority Leader, Mitch McConnell has allegedly discouraged senators from contesting the electors in January. A recent speech on the Senate floor seems to confirm that he wants Congress to move on. He congratulated Biden and Harris in a recent speech saying "the Electoral College has spoken."
