Staff report
Kentucky’s Rep. Thomas Massie is one of seven conservative House Republicans who said they would not join an estimated 100 GOP colleages in challenging the results of the presidential electionn
In a letter signed by the seven legislators, they said, “. . .only the states have the authority to appoint electors, in accordance with state law. . .Congress has only a narrow role in the presidential election process. Its job is to count the electors submitted by the states, not to determine which electors the states should have sent.”
Thomas Massie
In addition to Massie, the letter is signed by Reps. Tom McClintock (R-Calif.), Chip Roy (R-Texas), Ken Buck (R-Colo.), Kelly Armstrong (R-N.D.), Mike Gallagher (R-Wis.) and Nancy Mace (R-S.C.).
The letter opens by objecting to “the reckless adoption of mail-in ballots and lack of safeguards” for votes but emphasizes that Congress has only a “narrow role” in the presidential election process and that is to count the electors submitted by the states.
It goes on to note that no states have submitted competing slates of electors, including those with GOP-controlled legislatures.
“Unless that happens between now and January 6, 2021, Congress will have no authority to influence the outcome of the 2020 presidential election,” the letter states.
“Though doing so may frustrate our immediate political objectives, we have sworn an oath to promote the Constitution above our policy goals,” the letter concludes. “We must count the electoral votes submitted by the states.”
It warns against replacing the electoral college with Congress and notes that “Republican presidential candidates have won the national popular vote only once in the last 32 years,” so Republicans should be wary of delegitimizing the electoral college.
“The text of the Constitution is clear,” the letter states. “We must count the electoral votes submitted by the states.”
The letter in full:
