- A lawsuit from rep. Louie Gohmert of Texas and other Republicans who wanted to reverse the 2020 presidential election were turned down by a federal judge on Friday.
- The lawsuit sought to give Pence the power to accept or reject the election results of individual states when Congress convenes next week to confirm the results of the Electoral College.
- The last attempt would probably not succeed. Pence and the Department of Justice asked the judge to dismiss the request.
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A lawsuit from rep. Louie Gohmert of Texas and other Republicans who wanted to reverse the 2020 presidential election were turned down by a federal judge on Friday.
Gohmert has filed a lawsuit against Vice President Mike Pence to try to declare President Donald Trump the winner when Congress convenes next week to confirm the results of the Electoral College. The lawsuit argued that Pence had the authority to choose which electoral votes the countries should count.
U.S. District Judge Jeremy Kernodle said Gohmert and the others did not have the right to sue, and dismissed the lawsuit.
Kernodle, a judge appointed by Trump, said the plaintiffs did not legally sustain an injury that could be traced back to Pence, the defendant in the case. Gohmert’s lawyers said on Friday night that they would appeal against the decision, reports The Washington Post.
Elected President Joe Biden won the election by receiving 306 election votes compared to Trump’s 232. The results were certified in each state, and presidential voters cast their ballots last month.
On January 6, Pence will oversee a joint session of Congress to formally certify the results. The event is usually a procedural event that confirms the winner that the voters and the Electoral College have already chosen.
The lawsuit, filed by Gohmert and Arizona supporters, gave Pence the ability to reject individual results from the state, which theoretically gave him the ability to reject states won by Biden and Trump ‘ grant a second term, despite the will of the voters. .
The last attempt would probably not succeed. Earlier this week, Pence and the Department of Justice said the lawsuit was misdirected and on Thursday made a request asking the judge to dismiss the case.
In response, Gohmert said the vice president was not just ‘the glorified envelope opener in the head’, claiming the lawsuit was rightly directed at Pence.
He also mentions the 140 House Republics who apparently plan to vote against the certification of the Electoral College during the joint session next week, although that would not prevent the confirmation of Biden’s victory.
The session on Wednesday is likely to be controversial due to the planned objections. Trump also encourages supporters to protest in DC on that day, tweet about a “BIG protest march” on January 6th.
The lawsuit was the latest in a series of legal defeats for Trump allies. Since the election, the Trump campaign and a few supporters of the president have presented dozens of legal challenges, and they have won zero from at least 40 lawsuits.