Group of Republican senators refuses to certify Biden’s victory

So far, only one senator, Josh Hawley, has expressed an intention to formally question the Democrat’s victory on Wednesday, an unusual act that threatens to expose tensions within the Republican Party.

“Congress must immediately appoint an electoral commission, with full authority to investigate “possible” electoral fraud, “seven acting senators and four newly elected senators said in a statement, echoing the accusations made by outgoing President Donald Trump, launched over almost two months without presenting evidence.

That commission “will conduct a 10-day emergency audit of results in the states” in which the two candidates fought for a very tight victory, the group proposed, led by influential Senator Ted Cruz, Texas representative. Without this audit, “we will vote on January 6 to reject voters from these disputed states,” he added.

In the United States, the president is elected by indirect universal suffrage. The Electoral College, which acts as an intermediary, ratified Biden’s victory on December 14, with 306 votes in favor and 232 against.

The Chamber of Deputies and the Senate meet on Wednesday to certify these results, a procedure that is usually a mere formality. But Donald Trump still refuses to acknowledge his defeat and asked his supporters to demonstrate in Washington that day.

In the Chamber of Deputies (Baixa), with a Democratic majority, more than a hundred Republicans intend to vote against certification, according to CNN. But in no case will there be enough votes for the strategy to be successful. “We are not naive. We know that most, if not all Democrats, and perhaps some Republicans, will vote otherwise, “the eleven senators acknowledged in Saturday’s statement.