Fox News’ Bret Baier is pressing Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) on the 2020 presidential election and plans to challenge the electoral vote count.
Speaking to Hawley during an interview on Monday evening, Baier said, “I want to pin you down on what you’re trying to do. Are you trying to say that as of January 20 Trump will be president?”
“That depends on what happens on Wednesday, this is why we have the debate,” the senator responded. However, Baier pushed back.
Baier said, “No it doesn’t. The states, by the Constitution, say they certify the election, they did certify it. By the Constitution, Congress does not have the right to overturn the certification, at least as most experts read it.”
Watch the video below:
BRET BAIER: I want to pin you down on what you're trying to do. Are you trying to say that Trump will be president after January 20?
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) January 5, 2021
JOSH HAWLEY: Well, that depends on what happens on Wednesday
BAIER: No it doesn't
(Trump in fact lost an election!) pic.twitter.com/vsO2JyRJuk
Earlier in the interview, Hawley said, “What I’m trying to do, Bret, is to raise the concerns that my constituents have all over Missouri.”
He continued:
“I have heard from people like I have never heard before over the last month about this election. They have major, major concerns about the integrity, the fairness of this election. And they expect me to stand up and to raise those concerns.
And this is the only forum I have to do it. This is the forum that the Constitution and the statutes provide. And they also want action. They want an investigation into these irregularities. They want new election laws to make sure that our elections are secure going forward.”
Despite the Electoral College affirming Joe Biden won the election, President Donald Trump has refused to concede. Additionally, several Republican lawmakers plan to challenge the election results during the joint session of Congress on Wednesday to formally count the Electoral College vote.
Hawley said on Dec. 30 that he will “object” to the electoral college certification.
When asked about Hawley’s statement, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) said last week, “I have no doubt that on next Wednesday, a week from today, that Joe Biden will be confirmed by the acceptance of the vote of the Electoral College as the 46th president of the United States.”
There are at least 12 Republican senators, and it is reported there are over 100 House Republicans, who plan to challenge the election results. Hawley is leading a separate effort than the one Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) is spearheading.
Cruz’s effort was called “more of a political dodge than an effective remedy” by Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.).
Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) is among the multiple Republican lawmakers who have spoken out about their opposition to their Republican colleagues’ planned efforts to challenge the certification of the Electoral College vote.
Cotton said if Congress “purported to overturn the results of the Electoral College” then it would “establish unwise precedents.”
Trump, however, slammed Cotton for his opposition, tweeting on Monday, “[Tom Cotton] Republicans have pluses [and] minuses, but one thing is sure, THEY NEVER FORGET!”
