Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO), the first Republican in the Senate to publicly announce that he will challenge Congress’ certification of Joe Biden’s victory in the presidential election, acknowledged Tuesday night that Vice President Mike Pence can do nothing do not to reverse the results. .
Appears on Fox News’ The Ingraham Corner, Hawley was asked by pro-Trump host Laura Ingraham if he thinks Pence “should not accept the certification of tomorrow’s election.” It comes on the heels of President Donald Trump’s false claim that the vice president ‘has the power’ to stop Biden’s victory.
“You know, my understanding is that under the 12th Amendment, and under the applicable laws, the Vice President opens the certificates and then hands them over to the clerk in the Senate and House and they count the votes,” Hawley nervously muttered. “I do not think the Vice President counts under the law. He’s just there. It’s really on Congress. ”
The president has put intense pressure on Pence in recent days to block the certification of the Electoral College’s vote when Congress convenes on Wednesday, something Pence does not have the power to do in his largely symbolic role. The New York Times reported on Tuesday that Pence had informed Trump that he could not reverse the election during their weekly luncheon, something the president immediately disputed and issued a statement saying the two “completely agree” and that Pence never said so. not. ‘