The guardian
‘Traitors and Patriots’: Republican pressure to keep Trump in power seems doomed
* Senators refuse to defend the College of Elections on TV * Democrats and GOP leaders block the party-based chance * Trump pressures Georgia’s Republican to overthrow Biden’s victory All 12 Republican senators pledged not to to confirm the election college’s results Wednesday, and with it a CNN host refused on Sunday to confirm Joe Biden’s resounding victory over Donald Trump in the presidential election, not to defend their movement on television. “It’s all reminiscent of what Ulysses S Grant once wrote in 1861,” Jake Tapper said on State of the. Union, before the union general quoted a letter at the start of a civil war he had won before becoming president himself: ‘There is [but] now two parties: traitors and patriots. ” How would you describe the parties today? “Bravely asked. The attempt to stop Trump’s defeat seems doomed, a piece of political theater run by party grandees eager to be loyal to court supporters before they would in some cases institute their own runs for the White House. Nevertheless, on Saturday, Ted Cruz of Texas and Ron Johnson of Wisconsin led 11 senators and elected senators to conduct a ten-day state-of-the-art audit in states where the president claims election fraud, although he did not testify and repeatedly in the lost court. Hawley of Missouri – as Cruz thought he was likely to be elected president in 2024 – in the promise to object to the outcome of the Electoral College. It is also expected that a majority of Republicans from the House will object to this, after holding a call with Trump on Saturday to plan their own moves. Democrats control the House and senior Senate Republicans are opposed to the attempt to deny millions – many of them African-Americans in swinging states – to seemingly guarantee the attempt will fail. Nevertheless, Vice President Mike Pence, who will preside over the ratification, welcomed the actions by Cruz and others. A Biden spokesman, Michael Gwin, said: “This stunt will not change the fact that President-elect Biden will be sworn in. on Jan. 20, and these unfounded claims have already been investigated and dismissed by Trump’s own attorney general, dozens of courts and election officials from both parties. Mitt Romney, the 2012 Republican nominee, now a senator from Utah, said: ‘The heinous ploy to reject voters may strengthen the political ambition of some, but threatens our democratic republic dangerously. “… More Americans took part in this election than ever before, and they made their choice. President Trump’s lawyers have put their case before numerous courts; In any case, they failed. ‘… The contribution to this ill-considered effort of some in Congress is the call of the President that his supporters should come to the Capitol on the day on which this matter is to be debated and decided. It has the predictable potential to lead to disruption, and worse. ‘Encouraged by Trump, far-right groups, including the Proud Boys, are expected to meet in Washington on Wednesday. On Sunday, Romney – and fellow Republican Lisa Murkowski (Alaska), Susan Collins – will meet. (Maine) and Bill Cassidy (Louisiana) – were part of a dual group of ten senators who rejected attempts to overthrow the election. On Saturday, Pat Toomey, a Republican from Pennsylvania, a battleground state, also registered his opposition. Hawley responded by rejecting ‘shameless personal attacks’. Georgia, where Trump refuses to accept a defeat, goes to the polls Tuesday in vital Senate run-off. Stacey Abrams, a former government candidate there, told ABC this week: “It is always dangerous to undermine the integrity of elections without evidence.” The Democrat lost her race in 2018 against Brian Kemp, a Republican who hosted his own election as secretary of state. Abrams refused to concede. When asked about Republican, Trump’s objection does not claim otherwise, she said: “Well, these are not just different circumstances. These are apples and ball balls. ‘I pointed out that a series of actions had been taken that hampered the ability of voters to have their votes hindered. And in almost all circumstances, the courts agreed, just like the legislature of the state. “In contrast, she said, ‘President Trump has lost every one of his challenges in the state of Georgia and he has no evidence. “The Washington Post reports that on Saturday he received a tape of an ‘extraordinary hour-long call’ in which Trump pressured Georgia’s Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger to block Biden’s victory. “The people of Georgia are angry, the people in the country are angry. , ”Trump said. “And there’s nothing wrong with saying you know you’ve recalculated.” Raffensperger said: “Well, Mr. President, the challenge you have is the data you have is wrong.” Trump said, ‘So look. All I want to do is do this. I just want to find 11,780 votes, which is more than we have. Because we won the state. ‘. He has no idea! ‘Last week, Ben Sasse of Nebraska issued a burning reprimand from Hawley, saying,’ Adults do not aim a loaded gun at the heart of legitimate self-government. ” We have a deep cancer in American politics. , ”Sasse added. “Both Republicans and Democrats are becoming more distrustful of the basic processes and procedures.” The senators who followed Hawley made the same point and pointed to votes. Johnson said Sunday that they are acting to protect democracy. Such arguments are too bad, because the blame for public distrust weighs heaviest on the White House and its allies. At Johnson’s insistence that ‘tens of thousands of millions’ believe the election was ‘stolen’, NBC Meet the Press host Chuck Todd suggested he ‘look in the mirror’ if he wants to work out why. Todd then cut Johnson short, saying, ‘You must not make these unproven allegations true. “On CNN, Tapper played remarks by Hawley during Trump’s indictment from January.” The consequences for the republic of overthrowing an election because you do not like the result, “Hawley said,” and because you believe the election was somehow corrupt, while the evidence in fact shows that it was not … it’s an interesting approach. I think it’s honestly crazy. ”