Several Republican leaders are suing vice president Mike Pence in federal court in an effort to get Donald Trump reelected.
Rep. Louie Gohmert from Texas is leading the effort along with Arizona Republican chairperson Kelli Ward and several other Republican leaders - mostly from Texas.
They want a federal judge to rule that Pence had the exclusive authority to choose electors when he oversaw the Electoral College vote certification Jan. 6. They want Pence to recognize only the Republican electoral votes.
The plaintiffs are asking federal judge Jeremy Kernodle, appointed by Trump, to grant Pence the "exclusive authority" to determine which slate of electors' votes are counted. They also ask Pence be given the power to decide if none of the votes should be counted - effectively empowering Pence to overturn Trump's defeat.
The plaintiffs repeat many of Trump's claims in their lawsuit. Like Trump, they claim there was "substantial evidence of election fraud" in the swing states of Georgia, Arizona, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Michigan, New Mexico and Nevada.
Legal scholars dismissed the lawsuit. They concur there is nothing in the Constitution that gives Pence the right to overturn the results.
Georgia State University law professor Anthony Michael Kreis said the lawsuit was "insane." Election law expert Rick Hasen said: "No, this won't work."
Iowa Law professor and election law expert Derek Muller said the Texas suit incorrectly stated the Arizona legislature endorsed the pro-Trump slate of electors.
