Election 2020

Citing issues in Pa., elsewhere, Missouri Sen. Josh Hawley says he’ll contest certification of Joe Biden’s victory

By: Special to the Capital-Star - December 30, 2020 1:05 pm

WASHINGTON, DC – AUGUST 06: U.S. Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., questions Chad Wolf, acting Secretary of Homeland Security, who appears before the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee on August 6, 2020 in Washington D.C. The committee held a hearing on “Oversight of DHS Personnel Deployments to Recent Protests.” (Photo by Toni Sandys-Pool/Getty Images)

U.S. Sen. Josh Hawley argued in a statement that Pennsylvania failed to adhere to its election laws by extending the deadline for mail-in ballots.

By Jason Hancock

Missouri Republican Sen. Josh Hawley announced Wednesday that he will object to the certification of President-elect Joe Biden’s Electoral College victory when Congress convenes next week to ratify the results of the 2020 election.

The move, which is largely symbolic, guarantees that both chambers will be forced to debate the results and vote on whether to accept Biden’s victory, a process that Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell had urged Republicans to avoid.

In a statement, Hawley said he felt compelled to object because of alleged voting irregularities.

“At the very least,” he said, “Congress should investigate allegations of voter fraud and adopt measures to secure the integrity of our elections. But Congress has so far failed to act.”

Masked, and from a distance, Pa. electors cast their 20 votes for Biden, Harris

Hawley’s statement cited unsubstantiated claims of voter fraud that have been championed by President Donald Trump and his allies in an effort to overturn the outcome of the November election. Hawley also argued in his statement that Pennsylvania failed to adhere to its election laws by extending the deadline for mail-in ballots.

There’s no evidence of widespread fraud in the election. Nonetheless, U.S. Rep. Scott Perry, R-10th District, had said he will oppose the certification of the results.

Any member of the House, joined by a member of the Senate, can contest the electoral votes on Jan. 6. The challenge prompts a floor debate followed by a vote in each chamber.

Several House Republicans, including U.S. Rep. Scott Perry, R-10th District, have previously signaled their intention to object.

House Democrats have challenged the results of the 2000, 2004 and 2016 elections, but only after the 2004 election did a senator — California’s Barbara Boxer — join in the challenge. That year, Democrats objected to Ohio’s electoral votes, which forced a two-hour debate and was ultimately defeated by a wide margin.

Jason Hancock is editor in chief of the Missouri Independent, a sibling site of the Capital-Star, where this story first appeared.

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