Almost a quarter of Republicans are gearing to object to President-elect Joe Biden's Electoral College victory on Jan. 6, an unsurprising development that proves just how far these people will go to support outgoing President Donald Trump's baseless accusations that the U.S. election was rigged, Politico and others reported on Sunday.
The group, led by Texas Senator Ted Cruz, announced in a joint statement late Saturday that they will join Sen. Josh Hawley and oppose Trump's certification of defeat when a joint session of the House of Representatives meets on Wednesday.
Hawley was the first senator to express plans of blocking the outcome of the Electoral College, which was certified by the states in early December. Many of those Republicans now view Wednesday's vote as their final opportunity to help hand Trump the win.
Trump's refusal to concede his presidential election loss is dealing a heavy blow to the Republicans who are forced to make a choice that will define the legacy of the post-Trump era. The two senators are both among potential aspirants in the 2024 presidential race.
"We intend to vote on Jan. 6 to reject the electors from disputed states as not 'regularly given' and 'lawfully certified' (the statutory requisite), unless and until the emergency 10-day audit is completed," South China Morning Post quoted the 11 Republican senators as saying in a statement.
Trump has been calling on Republicans to stop Biden from taking office, though there's no feasible mechanism for him and his allies to do so. Many Republican senators have said they don't support any actions to disrupt the certification of the Electoral College vote.
"We do not take this action lightly," the group wrote in a statement. "We are acting not to thwart the democratic process, but rather to protect it." On Twitter, Trump said, "after they see the facts and plenty more to come... our country will love them for it," The New York Post reported.
Biden spokesperson Michael Gwin said this "stunt" would not change the fact that Biden will be sworn in on Jan. 20, and these unfounded allegations have already been junked by multiple courts, Trump's own attorney general, and election officials from both parties.
The faction of GOP legislators includes senators Marsha Blackburn, Mike Braun, Cruz, Steve Daines, Ron Johnson, John Kennedy, James Lankford, senators-elect Bill Hagerty, Cynthia Lummis, Roger Marshall, and Tommy Tuberville.
