Elise Stefanik to object to certification of Electoral College results

Republican Rep. Elise Stefanik (N.Y.) on Monday said she would join the growing coalition of GOP lawmakers who plan to object to Congress’s certification of President-elect Joe Biden’s Electoral College victory on Wednesday.

“I do not take this action lightly,” Stefanik said in a video posted on Twitter on Monday. “I am acting to protect our democratic process. Article II in the 12th Amendment of the Constitution make clear that I have an obligation to act on this matter if I believe there are serious questions with respect to the presidential election.”

Why I Will Object on Jan 6th

“I am committed to restoring the faith of the American people in our elections – that they are free, fair, secure, and according to the United States Constitution.”

WATCH pic.twitter.com/crIgARuIzN

— Elise Stefanik (@EliseStefanik) January 4, 2021

”The most precious foundation and covenant of our Republic is the right to vote, and consequently the faith in the sanctity of our nation’s free and fair elections,” added Stefanik in her video statement.

“As a member of Congress, I am committed to restoring the faith of the American people in our elections that they are free, fair, secure, and according to the United States Constitution.”

Twitter flagged Stefanik’s post with a disclaimer saying, “This claim about election fraud is disputed.”

Stefanik, a vocal Trump backer who was a prominent Republican voice during the House impeachment hearings in 2019, is the latest lawmaker to indicate she would object Wednesday to certifying Biden’s win. Two Republican lawmakers told CNN last week they expect at least 140 House Republicans to vote against counting several states’ electoral votes.

A dozen GOP senators, including Sens. Ted Cruz (Texas) and Josh Hawley (Mo.), have also stated their intention to oppose the Electoral College vote counting. 

The objections will almost certainly be fruitless and only serve to delay certification. Democrats control the House and Republican leadership in the Senate has urged the GOP caucus not to object.

Despite claims of voter fraud and irregularities, federal and state officials have said that the 2020 election was the “most secure in American history.” Chris Krebs, former director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, echoed this sentiment, saying in an interview, “We did a good job. We did it right. I’d do it a thousand times over.