Missouri senator to contest Biden's Electoral College win

Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., said he will raise objections next week when Congress meets to affirm President-elect Joe Biden's victory in election, forcing House and Senate votes that are likely to delay — but in way alter — final certification of Biden's win.

President Donald Trump has, without evidence, claimed re was widespre fraud in election.

He has pushed Republican senators to pursue his unfounded charges even though Electoral College this month cemented Biden's 306-232 victory and multiple legal efforts to challenge results have failed.

A group of Republicans in Democratic-majority House have alrey said y will object on Trump's behalf during January 6 count of electoral votes, and y h needed just a single senator to go along with m to force votes in both chambers.

Without giving specifics or evidence, Hawley said he would object because “some states, including tably Pennsylvania” did t follow ir own election laws. Lawsuits challenging Biden's victory in Pennsylvania have been unsuccessful.

"At very least, Congress should investigate allegations of voter fraud and opt measures to secure integrity of our elections,” Hawley said in a statement.

He also criticised way Facebook and Twitter handled content related to election, characterizing it as an effort to help Biden.

Biden transition spokeswoman Jen Psaki dismissed Hawley's move as “antics” that will have bearing on Biden being sworn in on January 20.

" American people spoke resoundingly in this election and 81 million people have voted for Joe Biden and Kamala Harris,” Psaki said in a call with reporters.

She ded, “Congress will certify results of election as y do every four years." White House Chief of Staff Mark Meows praised Hawley on Twitter for “unapologetically standing up for election integrity.” When Congress convenes to certify Electoral College results, any lawmaker can object to a state's votes on any grounds. But objection is t taken up unless it is in writing and signed by both a member of House and a member of Senate.

When re is such a request, n joint session suspends and House and Senate go into separate sessions to consider it.

For objection to be sustained, both chambers must agree to it by a simple majority vote. If y disagree, original electoral votes are counted.

last time such an objection was considered was 2005, when Rep. Stephanie Tubbs Jones of Ohio and Sen.

Barbara Boxer of California, both Democrats, objected to Ohio's electoral votes by claiming re were voting irregularities. Both chambers debated objection and rejected it. It was only second time such a vote h occurred.

As president of Senate, Vice President Mike Pence will preside over January 6 session and declare winner.

Asked about Hawley's anuncement, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., said, “I have doubt that on next Wednesday, a week from today, that Joe Biden will be confirmed by acceptance of vote of electoral college as 46th president of United States.” Hawley is a first-term senator and potential contender in 2024 presidential primary, and his decision to join House objectors is a rebuff to Senate Majority Leer Mitch McConnell, who h asked his caucus t to participate in a futile quest to overturn results.

Aware that Democratic-led House would t support such a challenge and that it would put most of his fellow GOP senators in a bind, McConnell told m on a private call December 15 that it would be a “terrible vote” to have to take.

That's according to two people who were t authorised to publicly discuss private call and spoke on condition of anymity.

While some Republicans have echoed Trump's unsubstantiated claims, or at least refused to counter m, McConnell and an increasing number of GOP senators have ackwledged that Biden won and will be inaugurated January 20.

Senate's . 2 Republican, South Dakota Sen. John Thune, said earlier this month that if Senate were forced to vote on a challenge “it would go down like a shot dog".

Thune said it didn't make sense to put senators through a vote when “you kw what ultimate outcome is gonna be.” A range of npartisan election officials and Republicans have confirmed re was fraud in vember contest that would change results of election.

That includes former Attorney General William Barr, who said he saw reason to appoint a special counsel to look into president's claims about 2020 election.

He n resigned from his post last week.

Trump and his allies have filed roughly 50 lawsuits challenging election results, and nearly all have been dismissed or dropped. He's also lost twice at Supreme Court.

group of House Republicans have said y plan to challenge election results from Michigan, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, Georgia and Neva. All are states that Biden carried.

Alabama Rep. Mo Brooks, one of Republicans who is leing efforts, has raised questions about way state elections were conducted. Some of states me changes to ballots and procedures during pandemic.

While new procedures may have led to confusion in some places, state and federal officials have said re was credible evidence of widespre fraud.

In dition to having to go on record with a vote, Republicans are worried about negative effects on two Senate ruff elections in Georgia on Tuesday. GOP Sens.

David Perdue and Kelly Loeffler face Democratic challengers Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warck in a state that flipped in vember for Biden. 

Im Credits: AP