One of President Donald Trump’s attorneys is refuting his suggestion that Vice President Mike Pence can reject electors to the Electoral College when Congress meets to certify the electoral vote count on January 6.
Earlier on Tuesday, Trump took to Twitter to claim, “The Vice President has the power to reject fraudulently chosen electors.”
The Vice President has the power to reject fraudulently chosen electors.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 5, 2021
However, Jay Sekulow, who has served as a member of the president’s legal team, said during his podcast, “Some have speculated that the vice president could simply say, ‘I’m not going to accept these electors,’ that he has the authority to do that under the Constitution.”
“I actually don’t think that’s what the Constitution has in mind,” he continued.
Finally, he added, “If that were the case, any vice president could refuse any election.”
Watch the video below:
"I actually don't think that's what the Constitution has in mind," Jay Sekulow, the chief counsel of the American Center for Law & Justice, says about the possibility of Pence rejecting the Electoral College results https://t.co/S42RWtesJF pic.twitter.com/HI3vbS6Hcd
— POLITICO (@politico) January 5, 2021
Sekulow also described Pence’s role overseeing the January 6 proceedings as “a ministerial procedural function.”
Pence is supposed to preside over the hearings and announce the winner of the Electoral College vote on Wednesday, a role that is largely ceremonial. He also does not have the authority to alter the outcome of the election on his own.
During a rally in Georgia, on Monday night, Trump addressed Pence’s role as he said, “I hope Mike Pence comes through for us, I have to tell you.”
“He’s a great guy. Of course, if he doesn’t come through, I won’t like him quite as much,” he added.
Trump continued to claim that Pence will “have a lot to say about” the election. He added, “And you know one thing with him, you’re going to get straight shots. He’s going to call it straight.”
Although President-elect Joe Biden won the presidential election, Trump has refused to concede and has made baseless allegations that widespread fraud tilted the results in Biden’s favor.
