Toomey, Murkowski oppose GOP efforts to challenge election results

GOP Meaning. Pat ToomeyPatrick (Pat) Joseph Toomey Government used Patriot Act to collect logs of website visitors in 2019 Appeals court says NSA bulk phone data collection illegal Dunford steps down as committee chair coronavirus surveillance READ MORE (Pa.) And Lisa MurkowskiLisa Ann Murkowski Biparty Lawmakers Urge Trump to Sign or Immediately Veto Bipartisan Coronavirus Relief Bill, bicameral group urges Trump to sign COVID-19 relief package Congress passes. (Alaska) said on Saturday they would oppose the efforts of at least a dozen of their fellow Republicans to challenge the president-elect Joe bidenJoe BidenTrump calls Georgia Senate runoff ‘both illegal and invalid’ in New Years tweets Judge dismisses Gohmert’s election lawsuit against Pence Former GOP senator suggests forming new party and calls Trump the ‘master of Republicans’The electoral college wins next week.

Murkowski, in a statement released on Saturday, reaffirmed that she would support the 2020 election results during a joint session of Congress on January 6.

“I will be voting to confirm the 2020 presidential election. Courts and state legislatures have all honored their duty to hear the legal allegations and found nothing to justify overturning the results.” I urge my colleagues on both sides to recognize this and join me in maintaining confidence in the Electoral College and our elections, ”Murkowski said.

Toomey said that “the evidence is overwhelming that Joe Biden won this election.”

The GOP senator also offered scathing criticism to some of his GOP colleagues for challenging the election results next Wednesday.

“A fundamental and defining characteristic of a democratic republic is the right of the people to elect their own leaders. The effort of Senators Hawley, Cruz and others to reverse the 2020 presidential election results in dynamic states like Pennsylvania directly undermines this right, ”Toomey said in a statement.

Home state of Toomey, Pennsylvania and other battlegrounds faced legal battles President TrumpDonald Trump Trump calls Georgia Senate second round ‘both illegal and invalid’ in New Year’s tweets Judge dismisses Gohmert’s election lawsuit against Pence Former GOP senator suggests forming new party and calls Trump the Republicans’ “ master of the track ” MORE and his allies to challenge the election results. Biden won Keystone State over Trump by more than 1% of the vote in November.

“Senators justify their intention by noting that there have been numerous allegations of fraud. But allegations of fraud by a losing campaign cannot justify overturning an election. They do not recognize that these claims have been tried in courtrooms across America and have been found to be unsubstantiated, ”Toomey added.

Eleven Republicans, led by the senator. Ted cruzRafael (Ted) Edward Cruz Congress overrides Trump’s veto for the first time Hawley GOP jam with Electoral College Hawley fight to challenge Electoral College results in Senate MORE (R-Texas) announced on Saturday that it would support challenges to the Electoral College results unless there is a 10-day audit.

His. Josh hawleyJoshua (Josh) David Hawley Former GOP senator suggests forming new party, calls Trump Republicans ‘track master’ Georgia keeps Senate agenda in limbo Frustrations erupt as 000 checks blocked for the fourth consecutive day PLUS (R-Mo.) Previously announced he would oppose it on Wednesday.

Trump, who endorsed efforts to challenge the results of the Congressional election, claimed the election was marred by widespread voter fraud. The 11 senators, in their joint statement, said the 2020 election included “unprecedented allegations of voter fraud.”

Attempts by Trump’s legal team to challenge the results in key states have been rejected by the courts, and election experts have dismissed claims of widespread election fraud.

If an objection has the support of a member of the House and a member of the Senate, the two chambers separate and debate it for a maximum of two hours. The House and Senate would then vote on whether to uphold the objection, which would require a majority in both chambers to succeed.

Toomey, who had previously spoken out against Hawley’s plan in a GOP phone call this week, added in his statement that on Wednesday he would “vigorously defend our form of government by opposing this effort to deprive millions. voters in my state and others ”.

Wednesday’s objections will fail because Democrats control the House and several GOP senators have said they will oppose the objections next week.

But Wednesday will mark only the third time since 1887 that Congress will have to debate and vote on an objection. Attempts to modify the results in 1969 and 2005 also failed.

Murkowski and Toomey’s statement is the latest sign of public repulsion from Senate Republicans amid deep frustration within the caucus over Hawley and others’ decision to support contesting the election results.

In order to force a debate and a vote, House Conservatives needed the support of at least one senator, which they did not have before Hawley’s announcement on Wednesday.

His. Ben sasseLawmaker Ben SasseGOP criticizes Trump and colleagues for ‘trying to discredit’ election Hawley blocks GOP with electoral college fight GOP senator criticizes’ ambitious politicians’ for ‘dangerous ploy of the electoral college PLUS (R-Neb.), In an open letter to voters, accused lawmakers of trying to convince supporters of the president, adding: “Adults do not point a loaded gun at the heart of legitimate autonomy.”

His. Mitt RomneyWillard (Mitt) Mitt Romney Ex-GOP Senator Suggests New Party Form, Calls Trump Republican ‘Track Master’ Romney: Lack Of Comprehensive Vaccine Distribution Plan ‘Inexcusable’ Trump for K stimulus checks hits Senate deadlock MORE (R-Utah) said the objection in Wednesday’s joint session “continues to spread the false rumor that the election has been stolen.” And Sen. Susan collinsSusan Margaret Collins, former GOP senator, suggests forming a new party, calls Trump a ‘track master’ of Republicans Hawley jam from GOP with constituency fighting pressure from Trump for K stimulus checks results in a dead end in the Senate PLUS (R-Maine) asked why Hawley was following his plan.

“I wonder why he is doing it when the courts have unanimously dismissed the lawsuits that the President’s team brought for lack of credible evidence,” Collins said. “Senator Hawley is a smart attorney who was transplanted to the Supreme Court, so he clearly understands that. So I don’t understand.

Public infighting is a scenario GOP leaders hoped to avoid. Majority Leader in the Senate Mitch mcconnellAddison (Mitch) Mitchell McConnell Georgia keeps Senate agenda in limbo Frustrations erupt as, 000 checks blocked for fourth day in a row Graham bucks McConnell: 000 “not socialism” payments (R-Ky.) And other high-profile Republicans had urged GOP senators not to oppose in the joint session, warning that this would only lead to politically difficult votes that would not change the outcome of the election.

McConnell, on a separate GOP conference call Thursday, also called one of the most important votes of his congressional career on Wednesday. McConnell, as part of the appeal, asked Hawley to explain his thinking. The first-year senator was not on the call, but subsequently emailed caucus.

“He said it was the biggest vote,” Romney told reporters of McConnell’s remarks. “I see this as a statement he believes … it’s a referendum on our democracy.”