President Trump's blatant effort to convince Georgia election officials to simply "recalculate" and find enough votes for him to win the state is a despicable example of this man's disdain for the U.S. Constitution and his desperation to avoid being labeled a loser.
However, that's exactly what Vice President Mike Pence will have to call him after all of the histrionics by the "sedition caucus" of Republican Trump supporters have reached their conclusion.
It's sick. It's dangerous. It's disgusting. As Stephen Colbert said last night, "We're off to a fresh start with a raging pandemic and a president who's trying to steal the election."
But what is even more disgusting than Trump's whining and bullying threats made in his now infamous phone call with Georgia election officials are the Republican members of Congress, both House and Senate -- the "sedition caucus" -- who are going along, feeding his ego, and jeopardizing the health and safety of our nation.
Flamethrowers to Democracy
As Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) said today, they are "flamethrowers to democracy," adding that Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO) and Ted Cruz (R-TX) are simply "Trump wannabes" who hope to convince MAGA supporters that they are bad enough to deserve their support in their own anticipated presidential runs in 2024.
"Joe Biden wants to heal," said Van Hollen, "but these Republicans are making that much more difficult."
Perhaps that is part of the plan, to sabotage the Biden presidency even before it gets started. That's what Trump is trying to do, that is clear. These guys are just giving that effort legs, and in the meantime, the coronavirus death toll today stands at 354,000 and the effort to get people vaccinated is in disarray.
Appearing on MSNBC, Van Hollen said a federal investigation of Trump's efforts to overturn the election is warranted "in order to send a message that this kind of conduct is unacceptable. People need to be held accountable."
Stop the Steal
There is another factor involved here that has gained little media attention. Presidential candidates appear on the same ballot as candidates for every other office, from senator to dogcatcher. So, politicians who insist on challenging the election of President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris also need to challenge the election of all candidates on the same ballot, including themselves.
That's just common sense, because there is only ONE ballot and if something nefarious took place for the presidential election, it also would have affected every other race on the ballot.
@DoctorHenryCT posted this tweet today:
"Any Republican who signs on to question the Electoral College vote and was recently elected should be required to step down until their election can be confirmed. If they question the Presidential vote, they were elected under the same circumstances."
He's absolutely correct, because widespread election fraud cannot be committed simply on one line on the ballot.
In South Carolina
In ruby red South Carolina, state Democratic chair Trav Robertson is taking up that call, asking for an investigation into election and voter fraud in a state that reelected GOP Sen. Lindsey Graham and solidly went to Trump.
Robertson said the request is "the logical step after learning that numerous members of the SC Congressional legislative delegation plan to oppose the Electoral College because of their concerns relating to fraud and Attorney General Wilson’s decision to join a Texas lawsuit seeking to overturn the 2020 Presidential Election in the Supreme Court." (That lawsuit was dismissed by the high court.)
Robertson noted that Wilson, in a statement posted online, "claims he is “committed to protecting our voters against disenfranchisement as well as ensuring election integrity.”
However, said Robertson, “You can’t claim election fraud in only places you lost. My guess is the reason the SC Members of the Delegation are screaming about election fraud is because they know how to commit fraud - so let’s find it. We agree with Attorney General Wilson that free and fair elections are the foundation of democracy. This is why in this moment we need AG Wilson to conduct a full audit of South Carolina’s voting and election systems, a bipartisan project able to eliminate voter doubts about fraud.”
Election integrity remains a top priority for South Carolina Democrats seeking to end voter suppression in the state, Robertson added.
In other words, Republicans, "stop the steal."
'YOU LOSE'
Meanwhile, Trump continued on Twitter today to pressure Vice President Mike Pence to simply declare himself and Trump the winners in tomorrow's joint session of Congress where the electoral vote count will be finalized.
Former Republican National Committee chair Michael Steele tweeted Monday that Trump needs to stop.
“@realDonaldTrump would you just stop with this crap. You know damn well @VP only has the power to count votes already confirmed by the electoral college. YOU LOST. That’s what happens when YOU LOSE. Pence ain’t changing that. Here, read the #12thAmendment.”