GOP Sen. Lisa Murkowski vows to affirm Biden victory: Politics updates
The yr 2020 might now be behind us, however we aren’t finished with the 2020 election simply but.
The newly-elected Congress is ready to be sworn in and two runoff elections in Georgia are developing that may decide management of the Senate, whereas President-elect Joe Biden’s Electoral College victory nonetheless has to be licensed by Congress. Biden additionally nonetheless has a number of Cabinet picks to announce – together with his nominee for Attorney General – as he plans for his inauguration.
Here are the upcoming dates to watch:
- Jan. 3: New Congress is sworn in.
- Jan. 5: Senate runoff election in Georgia.
- Jan. 6: Congress will depend and certify the electoral ends in a joint session.
- Jan. 20: Inauguration of Biden, who will take the oath of workplace.
Be positive to refresh this web page typically to get the most recent info on the transition.
Murkowski will not be becoming a member of objecting GOP senators
Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska declared she’s going to vote to certify the 2020 presidential election outcomes throughout a joint session of Congress Wednesday, hours after 11 extra of her Republican colleagues introduced they plan to object to the certification.
“I swore an oath to support and defend the Constitution of the United States and that is what I will do January 6 – just as I strive to do every day as I serve the people of Alaska,” Murkowski stated in a press release launched Saturday. “I will vote to affirm the 2020 presidential election. The courts and state legislatures have all honored their duty to hear legal allegations and have found nothing to warrant overturning the results.”
Earlier Saturday, a bunch of Republican senators introduced they are going to be becoming a member of Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., in objecting to the Electoral College votes. Murkowski indicated she hopes they may rethink.
“I urge my colleagues from both parties to recognize this and to join me in maintaining confidence in the Electoral College and our elections so that we ensure we have the continued trust of the American people,” Murkowski stated.
– Sarah Elbeshbishi
Cruz, different Republican senators to be part of election objection
Several extra Republican senators, together with Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, introduced Saturday that they may be part of Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., and object to the certification of the 2020 election outcomes.
Citing “unprecedented allegations of voter fraud” and “voting irregularities,” however not particular proof, the senators planning to be part of Hawley’s objection stated in a joint assertion that they “intend to vote on January 6 to reject the electors from disputed states as not ‘regularly given’ and ‘lawfully certified’ (the statutory requisite), unless and until” the completion of an “emergency 10-day audit.”
Republican Sens. Ron Johnson of Wisconsin, James Lankford of Oklahoma, Steve Daines of Montana, John Kennedy of Louisiana, Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee and Mike Braun of Indiana joined Cruz in signing the joint assertion.
The assertion additionally named 4 newly elected senators, who shall be sworn in Sunday, who plan to be part of the objection Wednesday: Sens-elect Cynthia Lummis of Wyoming, Roger Marshall of Kansas, Bill Hagerty of Tennessee and Tommy Tuberville of Alabama.
President Donald Trump and plenty of of his supporters have alleged the election was stolen by Biden and the Democrats, although they’ve introduced no credible proof of widespread fraud and their authorized challenges have constantly rejected by the courts. But the Republican senators who plan to object to the vote depend argued that sufficient doubt had been solid on the outcome by Trump and his allies that it warranted debate.
“Whether or not our elected officials or journalists believe it, that deep distrust of our democratic processes will not magically disappear. It should concern us all. And it poses an ongoing threat to the legitimacy of any subsequent administrations,” they wrote.
“Ideally, the courts would have heard evidence and resolved these claims of serious election fraud. Twice, the Supreme Court had the opportunity to do so; twice, the Court declined,” they continued, arguing the excessive courtroom’s inaction leaves Wednesday’s vote as “the lone constitutional power remaining to consider and force resolution of the multiple allegations of serious voter fraud.”
Though Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., didn’t instantly handle the group of objecting senators, shortly after their assertion, he tweeted, “Joe Biden and Kamala Harris will be President and Vice President of the United States in 18 days.”
– Sarah Elbeshbishi
Virginia state Sen. Ben Chafin Jr. dies after contracting COVID-19.
State Sen. Ben Chafin Jr. died Friday after contracting the coronavirus, his workplace introduced in a press release.
“State senator Augustus Denton (Ben) Chafin Jr., a native son of Russell County located in Southwest Virginia, passed away on January 1, 2021 from COVID-19 complications,” the information launch from his workplace acknowledged.
Chafin, 60, was handled in Richmond on the VCU Medical Center for 2 weeks earlier than his loss of life.
Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam ordered the state flag to be instantly lowered over the Capitol in Richmond.
“With the passing of Senator Ben Chafin, Southwest Virginia has lost a strong advocate – and we have all lost a good man,” Northam said in a statement. “This is is sad news to begin a new year with the loss of a kind and gracious man. May we all recommit to taking extra steps to care for one another.”
Chafin, a Republican, was elected to the Virginia House of Delegates in 2013 earlier than being elected to the state senate the next yr.
“He served to ensure that his region and community, and the people he loved, would never be forgotten,” state Senate Republicans stated in a press release.
Days earlier than Chafin’s loss of life, Rep.-elect Luke Letlow, R-La., also died after contracting the virus. LSU Health Shreveport Chancellor G.E. Ghali stated Letlow, 41, died from a coronary heart assault following a process associated to the an infection.
– Sarah Elbeshbishi
Congress overrides Trump protection invoice veto
WASHINGTON – The Senate on Friday overrode President Donald Trump’s veto of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) – the primary congressional override in Trump’s tenure as president and a closing rebuke of the president simply weeks earlier than he leaves workplace.
The House of Representatives on Monday voted 322-87 to override the president, a outstanding bipartisan condemnation of the president in divided Washington. The Senate voted 81-13 in favor of overriding Trump, and the NDAA shall be enacted into legislation regardless of Trump’s disapproval.
The NDAA, a $741 billion nationwide safety package deal, will elevate troops’ pay, direct the acquisition of weapons and set army insurance policies. It handed each the House and Senate with overwhelming help by each events.
Trump opposed the invoice for not together with language that might strip social media firms from the protections they get pleasure from beneath Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act and for ordering identify modifications for bases devoted to former Confederate figures.
“Our Republican Senate just missed the opportunity to get rid of Section 230, which gives unlimited power to Big Tech companies. Pathetic!!!” the president tweeted after his veto was overridden.
– Christal Hayes
