Vice President Mike Pence and Republicans in Congress have been under pressure to reject or delay the certification of President-elect Joe Biden's victory over President Donald Trump, set to take place during a formal joint session of Congress on January 6. But can they really undo the Electoral College voting results?
In a recent piece for The Conversation, Donald Brand, professor of political science at Holy Cross, analyzes the history behind this formal certification process, concluding that the answer, both legally and politically, is no.
According to Brand, even if Pence recuses himself, as Hubert Humphrey did in January 1969, certification of Biden's win would go forward with the Senate president pro tempore in charge, who in this case is Senator Chuck Grassley.
"An American president orchestrating an attempt to reverse an election [...] does profound harm to democracy, which hinges on the peaceful transfer of power," warns Brand. "Republicans, and most visibly Mike Pence, face a choice between fidelity to the Constitution and fidelity to Trump."
To read the full article, go to TheConversation.com.
Could the Electoral College Votes in 2020 Elections Be Overturned? Political Science Professor Explains
The Conversation
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