Congressional Republicans Reject Resolution Acknowledging Election Results
The election is over. Joe Biden won. Donald Trump’s lawsuits attempting to overturn the results are a complete failure. However, Congressional Republicans aren’t ready to hear it.
House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer put forward a resolution that would simply have acknowledged, officially, that Biden won the election, and is President-Elect of the United States. This was placed to the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies — that is, a group of legislators from the House and Senate who work on inaugural matters.
Their continued deference to President Trump's post-election temper tantrums threatens our democracy and undermines faith in our system of elections.
— Steny (Wear a Mask) Hoyer (@LeaderHoyer) December 8, 2020
As he explains on his official page as House Majority Leader, this would have allowed the inaugural committee to publicly acknowledge that the inauguration they’re preparing for is that of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris.
However, the resolution, a simple acknowledgment of the election outcome, was blocked by Senator Mitch McConnell, Senator Roy Blunt, and House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy.
Hoyer is calling this “continued deference to President Trump’s post-election temper tantrums,” and warning that the refusal of Republicans to acknowledge reality damages American ideals by undermining confidence in the election process. “Instead, Republicans are refusing even to allow JCCIC to say that President-elect Biden and Vice President-elect Harris will be inaugurated on January 20, even when there is no serious dispute over that fact,” he said.
Acknowledging a reality that Donald Trump opposes, however, can be politically dangerous for Republicans. Trump is currently attacking Georgia’s Republican leadership — Governor Brian Kemp, Lt. Governor Geoff Duncan, and Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger — for failing to overturn the results of the election in Georgia to give Trump the electoral votes Biden earned.
RINOS @BrianKempGA, @GeoffDuncanGA, & Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, will be solely responsible for the potential loss of our two GREAT Senators from Georgia, @sendavidperdue & @KLoeffler. Won’t call a Special Session or check for Signature Verification! People are ANGRY!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 8, 2020
The Republican Governor of Georgia refuses to do signature verification, which would give us an easy win. What’s wrong with this guy? What is he hiding?
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 7, 2020
Why won’t Governor @BrianKempGA, the hapless Governor of Georgia, use his emergency powers, which can be easily done, to overrule his obstinate Secretary of State, and do a match of signatures on envelopes. It will be a “goldmine” of fraud, and we will easily WIN the state….
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 30, 2020
Georgia Lt. Governor @GeoffDuncanGA is a RINO Never Trumper who got himself elected as LG by falsely claiming to be “pro-Trump”. Too dumb or corrupt to recognize massive evidence of fraud in GA & should be replaced! We need every great Georgian to call him out! #SpecialSession!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 8, 2020
Republicans in the Federal government presumably could expect similar attacks if they go against Trump, even on so simple an acknowledgment as recognizing that states have certified their ballots and are moving forward.