Elections

Increasing number of GOP lawmakers to contest Electoral College vote

Published

1 year ago

December 23, 2020

President Donald Trump reportedly met on Monday with several House Republicans to discuss a plan to contest President-elect Joe Biden’s Electoral College votes as they are certified in Congress Jan. 6. Since then, a number of GOP lawmakers have pledged to contest the results.

SPOTTED in the West Wing today: GOP members like @mtgreenee, @mattgaetz, @Jim_Jordan, @RepMoBrooks, @replouiegohmert.

They met with the president, multiple sources told me.
— Jake Sherman (@JakeSherman) December 21, 2020

Several members of Congress just finished a meeting in the Oval Office with President @realDonaldTrump, preparing to fight back against mounting evidence of voter fraud.

Stay tuned.
— Mark Meadows (@MarkMeadows) December 21, 2020

Biden is expected to be declared the winner, despite claims of widespread election fraud.

In order to successfully contest the election results, both the House and the Senate need to agree to reject electors, which is unlikely since the House is controlled by Democrats and several Senate Republicans have recognized Biden as the presidential winner.

Trump has continued to support the effort to contest the results, and is joined by many lawmakers.

Texas Rep. Brian Babin said on Twitter Monday that he will object to the results if Congress does not look into the voter fraud allegations. Babin also wrote a letter, signed by 20 Republicans, to congressional leadership demanding action.

“Confidence in our elections must be restored. If Congress doesn’t act, on Jan 6 I’ll object to the electoral college vote submissions on the House floor on behalf of the millions of Americans, myself included, who don’t trust the validity of this election,” Babin wrote.

Confidence in our elections must be restored. If Congress doesn't act, on Jan 6 I'll object to the electoral college vote submissions on the House floor on behalf of the millions of Americans, myself included, who don't trust the validity of this election. https://t.co/wC86vzPx45
— Brian Babin (@RepBrianBabin) December 21, 2020

North Carolina Rep. Ted Budd echoed Babin’s statement, tweeting that he also plans on objecting the results.

Yes, I plan to object on January 6th.

MILLIONS of Americans saw what I saw:

– Voter safeguards removed
– No signature verification
– Outdated voter rolls
– Ballots accepted after Election Day
– Poll watchers denied access
#WeThePeople will keep fighting for @realDonaldTrump.
— Congressman Ted Budd (@RepTedBudd) December 22, 2020

Congressman-elect Madison Cawthorn, NC, told a group of young activists this week that he will contest the election “based on constitutional violations by key states.”

Not doing this to help my career in Washington, in fact this will most likely harm it. But no one should go to Washington as a career. Go there to serve the people. And on behalf of the people I am contesting this election based on constitutional violations by key states. pic.twitter.com/puDmUZAbaw
— Madison Cawthorn (@CawthornforNC) December 22, 2020

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has urged Republicans not to object during Congress’s count and certification of the Electoral votes, saying it would put fellow GOP senators in a bad position.

Members of GOP leadership warn that the objection will only result in delaying the inevitable outcome.

Elections

FBI punishing employees who attended Jan 6 rally by revoking security clearances

Published

1 week ago

May 6, 2022

Sara Carter Staff

The official Twitter account of the GOP House Judiciary Committee released an alarming warning: “Whistleblowers alert that the FBI appears to be attempting to terminate the employment of employees who were engaged in protected First Amendment activity on January 6, 2021.”

#NEWS: Whistleblowers alert that the FBI appears to be attempting to terminate the employment of employees who were engaged in protected First Amendment activity on January 6, 2021.

The employees did not enter the United States Capitol and have not been charged with any crime. pic.twitter.com/0WCIOsg620

— House Judiciary GOP (@JudiciaryGOP) May 6, 2022

A letter from ranking member of the House Judiciary Committee, Congressman Jim Jordan (R-OH), to FBI Director Christopher Wray, addresses how several whistleblowers exposed the FBI of stripping employees of security clearances.

The letter cites claims of multiple whistleblowers who say the FBI has been purposely punishing those who attended then-president Donald Trump’s “Stop the Steal” rally on January 6, 2021, by revoking their clearances. Reportedly many of them did not even enter the U.S. Capitol.

“While FBI employees may not participate in partisan political campaigns, [they] do not give up their rights to engage in political speech activity,” wrote Jordan. “We have serious concerns that the FBI appears to be retaliating against employees for engaging in political speech disfavored by FBI leadership,” he added.

The primary whistleblower is described as a 20-year veteran of the FBI and U.S. military. Jordan believes the FBI’s actions could potentially result in the administrative extermination of the individuals’ employment because the FBI requires top-secret security clearances for majority of its employees.

Jordan has required that the FBI brief the committee on the security clearances matter by May 20.