WASHINGTON (AP) – Republican lawmakers make an unprecedented effort to oust Joe Biden’s Election over President Donald Trump has not decided on a complete strategy ahead of Wednesday’s joint session of Congress to confirm the Electoral College voice.
With increasing desperation, Trump declared during a campaign in Georgia on Monday that he would “fight like hell” to hold the presidency, and he appealed to Republican lawmakers to stop his election loss.
But the Republicans leading the long-running effort in Congress are still deciding on the details of their strategy. According to a late-night meeting convened by Senator Ted Cruz, R-Texas, according to two Republicans familiar with the situation, few conclusions were drawn and anonymity was given to discuss it. Cruz will object to Arizona election results, another Republican said. This is probably the first objection considered, in a state that Biden won.
Trump’s attempt to recruit his allies to block Biden’s 306-232 election victory is nothing other than what has ever been attempted in modern times, and it is quite certain that it will fail. Bids will be inaugurated on January 20th.
The days ahead will nevertheless be determined for his presidency. Trump is sweeping crowds and gathering people in Washington, where security is at stake. Lawmakers are being told to arrive at the Capitol early and some are considering staying overnight in their offices to ensure they have safe access to the building.
Trump, during the evening rally in Georgia for two GOP senators in run-off elections, promised that the voters who vote for Biden will not take this White House! ”
Trump’s repeated allegations of voter fraud have been rejected by Republican and Democratic election officials in the state after the state and judges, including judges in the Supreme Court. Trump’s former attorney general, William Barr, also said there was no evidence of fraud that could change the outcome of the election.
Vice President Mike Pence will be closely watched as he presides over the session. He is under increasing pressure from Trump and others to tip the results in Trump’s favor. But Pence has a ceremonial role that does not give him the power to influence the outcome.
“I promise you this: on Wednesday we will have our day in Congress,” Pence said as he campaigned in Georgia ahead of Tuesday’s by-elections, which would determine Senate control.
Trump said in Georgia: “I hope our great vice president gets through to us. He’s a great guy. If he does not get through, of course I will not like him so much. He added: “No, Mike is a wonderful guy.”
One of Georgia’s Republicans in Tuesday’s run – Senator Kelly Loeffler, who faces Democrat Raphael Warnock, told the crowd she would join the senators and formally object to Biden’s victory. The other Republican who wants to run for re-election, David Perdue, who is running against Democrat Jon Ossoff, will not be eligible.
The attempt to overthrow the presidential election is splitting the Republican Party.
Those leading the congressional effort to keep Trump in office are pushing ahead, despite condemning the condemnation of current and former party officials who warn that the attempt undermines Americans’ faith in democracy.
Sen. Josh Hawley of Missouri and Cruz face the challenge, along with MPs, some on the fringes of the party.
Under the rules of the joint sitting, at least one member of the House and one from the Senate must lodge any objection to the election of the state.
House Republican lawmakers are signing objections to the election in six states – Arizona, Georgia, Nevada, Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.
Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio, a top ally of Trump and the leading Republican on the legal committee, is one of the leaders of the effort.
The day begins with an alphabetical reading of the results of the state.
Cruz’s objection to Arizona is likely to be heard first. And Hawley said he would object to the Pennsylvania election results, which would almost ensure a debate over the state.
But it is unclear whether any of the other senators will object to any other states.
Cruz’s coalition has said it will vote to reject the Electoral College’s scores unless Congress launches a commission to have the election results audited immediately. Congress is unlikely to agree. That remains his focus, one Republican said he did not “set aside” the election results.
Loeffler, along with Republicans from the House, may object to Georgia, but has not yet said so in public.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell tried to prevent his party from embarking on this fight, which could help define the GOP in the post-Trump era.
Both Hawley and Cruz are potential 2024 presidential candidates and are fighting for Trump’s supporter base.
More current and former GOP officials are reprimanding the effort to advance the election.
A variety of Republican officials – including Gov. Larry Hogan of Maryland; Rep Liz Cheney of Wyoming, the third rank GOP leader of the House; and former House Speaker Paul Ryan criticized the GOP’s efforts to overthrow the election.
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the giant lobbying organization and virtual embodiment of the enterprise, said the election challenge “undermines our democracy and the rule of law and will only lead to further divisions across our country.”
“The 2020 election is over,” a statement said Sunday from a two-party group of ten senators, including Republicans Susan Collins of Maine, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, Bill Cassidy of Louisiana and Mitt Romney of Utah.
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Associated Press authors Bill Barrow in Atlanta, Steve LeBlanc in Cambridge, Massachusetts, Jim Salter in O’Fallon, Missouri, Alan Fram in Washington and Tali Arbel of the Technology Team contributed.