■ Sen. Josh Hawley, R-MO., said he will object to Joe Biden’s Electoral College victory.
WASHINGTON — Sen. Josh Hawley, R-MO., said Wednesday he will raise objections next week when Congress meets to affirm President-elect Joe Biden’s victory in the election, forcing House and Senate votes that are likely to delay — but in no way alter — the final certification of Biden’s win.
President Donald Trump has alleged there was widespread fraud in the election. He has pushed Republican senators to pursue his unfounded charges though the Electoral College this month cemented Biden’s 306-232 victory and multiple legal efforts to challenge the results have failed.
A group of Republicans in the Democratic-majority House already have said they will object on Trump’s behalf during the Jan. 6 count of electoral votes, and they had needed a single senator to go along with them to force votes in both chambers.
Hawley said he would object because “some states, including notably Pennsylvania” did not follow their own election laws. Lawsuits challenging Biden’s victory in Pennsylvania have been unsuccessful.
Biden transition spokeswoman Jen Psaki dismissed Hawley’s move as “antics” that will have no bearing on Biden being sworn in on Jan. 20.
“The American people spoke resoundingly in this election, and 81 million people have voted for Joe Biden and Kamala Harris,” Psaki said in a call with reporters. She added: “Congress will certify the results of the election as they do every four years.”
The last time such an objection was considered was 2005, when Rep. Stephanie Tubbs Jones of Ohio and Sen. Barbara Boxer of California, both Democrats, objected to Ohio’s electoral votes by alleging there were voting irregularities.
Both chambers debated the objection and rejected it. It was only the second time such a vote had occurred.