Stefanik objected to certifying election after riot.
She insists several state elections were improperly run
U.S. Rep. Elise Stefanik, R- Schuylerville, objected to certifying the results of the 2020 election early Thursday morning after an unprecedented day where a mob broke into the U.S. Capitol, forcing lawmakers into lockdown.
Stefanik announced Monday that she would object to Congress certifying some states’ electoral college votes because she believes elections in Georgia, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and Michigan were improperly conducted. She supported objections in these four states, but when the House voted on an objection brought against the Arizona electors, she voted to certify that state.
Toward the start of an overnight debate and vote late Wednesday, Stefanik said, “tens of millions of Americans are concerned that the 2020 election featured unconstitutional overreach by unelected state officials and judges ignoring state election laws. We can and we should peacefully discuss these concerns.”
The campaign of President Donald J. Trump and his supporters filed dozens of lawsuits challenging President-elect Joe Biden’s victory, but judges have not found that election laws were broken in the course of the 2020 election or that fraud occurred. Biden won the popular vote and the Electoral College vote.
The House and Senate voted overwhelmingly Thursday morning to certify the election results.
Stefanik said lawmakers should work together to repair faith in the U.S. election system.
She also condemned the violence at the U.S. Capitol earlier in the day and recommended perpetrators be prosecuted. After a rally where Trump maintained without evidence that the election was stolen from him, thousands of his supporters marched on the Capitol, breached the building and forced lawmakers to evacuate and hide as they waved Trump flags and some engaged in vandalism.
Four people died during the confrontation, including a woman who was shot by Capitol Police, according to The Washington Post. The Associated Press reported 52 people were arrested as of Wednesday night, including 26 on the Capitol grounds. Fourteen police officers were hurt.
After Capitol Police secured the building, lawmakers returned to their chambers Wednesday night to continue their work.
New York Republican reps. Nicole Malliotakis of Staten Island, Lee Zeldin of Shirley and Chris Jacobs of Orchard Park also voted in favor of objections.
“Americans deserve nothing less than full faith and confidence in their elections,” Zeldin said. “That’s why we need to have this debate today.”
Some Republicans decided to drop their objections to the certification on Wednesday after the protest at the Capitol. Thirteen senators said earlier this week they would object, but only eight voted to register their opposition Wednesday night.
Even before the breakin, some Republicans made it clear they thought the objections were inappropriate, most notably Senate Majority Leader Mitch Mcconnell, R-KY.
“I believe protecting our constitutional order requires respecting the limits of our own power,” he said. He added it would be unfair to overrule courts and states “on this extraordinarily thin basis.”
Objections by Republicans were never expected to change the outcome of the election because Democrats hold a majority in the House. Biden is scheduled to be inaugurated on Jan. 20.