Sen. Tom Cotton had the most astute approach to that January 6th session — which was really little more than a formality. I paraphrase here:
“As a Senator from Arkansas I simply don’t have the authority to reject the electoral votes from another state in the absence of any formal objection from that state by a person or group of officials in a position of authority to legally speak on behalf of that state’s government.”
I’m not a huge fan of Mike Pence, but anyone who thinks he had the authority to do anything other than preside over a Congressional formality is delusional.
“As a Senator from Arkansas I simply don’t have the authority to reject the electoral votes from another state in the absence of any formal objection from that state by a person or group of officials in a position of authority to legally speak on behalf of that state’s government.”
This was addressed by the Partisan Hack from Harvard Law, after Cotton and other Senators stated similar reasons. Pence is not a Senator representing any state. He is the VP and their contention is he had Full Authority to reject the electors of disputed states. Mark Levin stated a similar position and while Levin is a Conservative I do not consider him to be a Partisan Hack.
“I’m not a huge fan of Mike Pence, but anyone who thinks he had the authority to do anything other than preside over a Congressional formality is delusional.”
To grant someone the authority to certify something necessarily implies that they also have the authority to refuse to certify it.
He should have stood tall and said something like, “The process that produced these documents was corrupt and fraudulent. This is the worst crime in the history of the United States, and I will see to it that all who had a hand in it are punished, if it’s the last thing I do.”
He should next have walked over to Pelousy, torn the documents in half, and flung them in her face.
The Constitution nowhere requires complicity with criminal acts such as those which produced the fraudulent reports of electoral votes. If Pence had the courage God gave the lowest coward he could have quashed this coup on the spot.
I’m sorry, what am I thinking of? He didn’t do his duty because he didn’t want to. He wanted evil to win.
Re: 19 - Agreed. Good post.
If you were remotely correct, Pence's political career would not be over, dead, done.