Counting Electoral Votes--Joint Session Of The House And Senate Held Pursuant To The Provisions Of Senate Concurrent Resolution 1
Madam Speaker, I rise to support the objection. Madam Speaker, to ease everyone's nerve, I want Members to all know that I am not here to challenge anyone to a duel like Alexander Hamilton or Aaron Burr. Madam Speaker, my primary objection…
Madam Speaker, I rise to support the objection.
Madam Speaker, to ease everyone's nerve, I want Members to all know that I am not here to challenge anyone to a duel like Alexander Hamilton or Aaron Burr.
Madam Speaker, my primary objection to the counting of the electoral votes of the State of Arizona is based on the Constitution and the direction of State legislatures through State law, as spelled out in the following two clauses of Article II, Section 1, Clause 2: ``Each State shall appoint, in such manner as the legislature thereof may direct, a number of electors.''
And the election clause of the Constitution provides State legislatures with explicit authority to prescribe ``the times, places, and manner of holding elections.''
For more than three decades, Arizona law, set by the State legislature, has required that voter registration end no later than 29 days before an election.
This is clear. It is law, unless amended by the State legislature. This is the way it needs to be carried out.
In Arizona, the deadline for voter registration for the 2020 Presidential election was October 5, 2020. Using COVID as a reasoning, Democrats filed a lawsuit to extend this deadline by 18 days. An injunction was made by an Obama-appointed judge preventing the Arizona secretary of state from enforcing the constitutional deadline set by the State legislature.
As a result of this frivolous, partisan lawsuit, 10 extra days were added via
judicial fiat to allow voter registration. These 10 days were added after voting had already begun. This is completely indefensible. You cannot change the rules of an election while it is underway and expect the American people to trust it.
Now, in this 10-day period, at least 30,000 new voters were registered to vote in Arizona. All of these votes are unconstitutional. It does not matter if they voted for President Trump or if they voted for Vice President Biden. They did not register in time for the election. The law states October 5. Either we have laws or we do not.
If we allow State election laws as set forth by the State legislatures to be ignored and manipulated on the whims of partisan lawsuits, unelected bureaucrats, unlawful procedures, and arbitrary rules, then our constitutional Republic will cease to exist.
The oath I took this past Sunday to defend and support the Constitution makes it necessary for me to object to this travesty. Otherwise, the laws passed by the legislative branch merely become suggestions to be accepted, rejected, or manipulated by those who did not pass them.
Madam Speaker, I have constituents outside of this building right now. I promised my voters to be their voice. In this branch of government in which I now serve, it is my separate but equal obligation to weigh in on this election and object.
Are we not a government of, by, and for the people?
They know that this election is not right; and as their Representative, I am sent here to represent them. I will not allow the people to be ignored.
Madam Speaker, it is my duty under the U.S. Constitution to object to the counting of the electoral votes of the State of Arizona. The Members who stand here today and accept the results of this concentrated, coordinated, partisan effort by Democrats, where every fraudulent vote cancels out the vote of an honest America, has sided with extremists on the left.
The United States Congress needs to make an informed decision, and that starts with this objection.
Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Mast).