On the floor, speaking, Sen. Mike Lee is selling out the American people.
First, he said that "luckily" we do not have 2 sets of Electors for Arizona. LIE.
Second, he said no governor or any other state official indicated any problem with the elections. LIE (maybe they didn't say anything, because they are in on the crime, but there is plenty of evidence).
Finally, he said it is time to count the votes and move on.
Lee is ignoring election fraud. Lee is selling out. Utah has TWO corrupt senators.
MR. PRESIDENT, AT THE TIME I PREPARED MY REMARKS FOR TODAY, IT SEEMS LIKE A LIFETIME AGO, A LOT HAS CHANGED IN THE LAST FEW HOURS AND SO I'M GOING TO DELIVER SOME OF THE SAME REMARKS BUT IT HAS A LITTLE BIT OF A DIFFERENT FEEL THAN IT WOULD HAVE JUST A FEW HOURS AGO. MY THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS GO OUT TO THE FAMILY MEMBERS OF THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN INJURED OR KILLED TODAY. MY HEARTFELT GRATITUDE GOES OUT TO THE CAPITOL HILL POLICE WHO VALIANTLY DEFENDED OUR BUILDING AND OUR LIVES. WHILE IT'S TRUE THAT LEGITIMATE CONCERNS HAVE BEEN RAISED WITH REGARD TO HOW SOME OF THE KEY BATTLEGROUND STATES CONDUCTED THEIR PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS, THIS IS NOT THE END OF THE STORY.
WE EACH HAVE TO REMEMBER THAT WE'VE SWORN AN OATH TO UPHOLD, PROTECT, AND DEFEND THIS DOCUMENT, WRITTEN NEARLY TWO AND A HALF CENTURIES AGO BY WISE MEN RAISED UP BY GOD TO THAT VERY PURPOSE. THAT DOCUMENT MAKES CLEAR WHAT OUR ROLE IS AND WHAT IT ISN'T. IT MAKES CLEAR WHO DOES WHAT WHEN IT COMES TO DECIDING PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS. YOU SEE, BECAUSE IN OUR SYSTEM OF GOVERNMENT, PRESIDENTS ARE NOT DIRECTLY ELECTED, THEY ARE CHOSEN BY PRESIDENTIAL ELECTORS AND THE CONSTITUTION MAKES CLEAR UNDER ARTICLE 2, SECTION 1, THAT THE STATES SHALL APPOINT PRESIDENTIAL ELECTORS ACCORDING TO PROCEDURES THAT THEIR LEGISLATURES DEVELOP. THEN COMES THE 12th AMENDMENT,IT EXPLAINS WHAT WE'RE DOING HERE TODAY IN THE CAPITOL, THAT THE PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE, THE VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES SHALL OPEN THE BALLOTS AND THE BALLOTS SHALL BE COUNTED. IT ARE THOSE WORDS THAT CONTAIN EVERY SCRAP OF AUTHORITY WE HAVE IN THIS PROCESS. OUR JOB IS TO OPEN AND THEN COUNT, OPEN, THEN COUNT. THAT'S IT. THAT'S ALL THERE IS.
NOW, THERE ARE, OF COURSE, RARE INSTANCES, INSTANCES IN WHICH MULTIPLE SLATES OF ELECTORS CAN BE SUBMITTED BY THE SAME STATE. THAT DOESN'T HAPPEN VERY OFTEN. IT HAPPENED IN 1960, IT HAPPENED IN 1876. LET'S HOPE IT DOESN'T EVER HAPPEN AGAIN. IN THOSE RARE MOMENTS, CONGRESS HAS TO MAKE A CHOICE, IT HAS TO DECIDE WHICH ELECTORAL VOTES HAVE TO BE COUNTED AND WHICH DID NOT. THAT DID NOT HAPPEN HERE, THANK HEAVENS AND LET'S HOPE THAT IT NEVER DOES. NOW, MANY OF MY COLLEAGUES HAVE RAISED OBJECTIONS OR HAD PREVIOUSLY STATED THEIR INTENT TO RAISE OBJECTIONS WITH REGARD TO THESE.
I SPENT AN ENORMOUS TIME ON THIS ISSUE OVER THE LAST FEW WEEKS. I MET WITH LAWYERS ON BOTH SIDES OF THE ISSUE. I MET WITH LAWYERS REPRESENTING THE TRUMP CAMPAIGN, READING EVERYTHING I COULD FIND ABOUT THE CONSTITUTIONAL PROVISIONS IN QUESTION, AND I SPENT A LOT OF TIME ON THE PHONE WITH LEGISLATORS AND OTHER LEADERS FROM THE CONTESTED STATES. I DIDN'T INITIALLY DECLARE MY POSITION BECAUSE I DIDN'T YET HAVE ONE. I WANTED TO GET THE FACTS FIRST AND I WANTED TO UNDERSTAND WHAT WAS HAPPENING. I WANTED TO GIVE THE PEOPLE SERVING IN GOVERNMENT IN THE CONTESTED STATES THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO WHATEVER THEY FELT THEY NEEDED TO DO TO MAKE SURE THAT THEIR ELECTION WAS PROPERLY REFLECTED.
I SPENT AN ENORMOUS AMOUNT OF TIME REACHING OUT TO STATE GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS IN THOSE STATES, BUT IN NONE OF THE CONTESTED STATES, NO, NOT EVEN ONE, DID I DISCOVER ANY INDICATION THAT THERE WAS ANY CHANCE THAT ANY STATE LEGISLATURE OR SECRETARY OF STATE OR GOVERNOR OR LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR HAD ANY INTENTION TO ALTER THE SLATE OF ELECTORS. THAT BEING THE CASE, OUR JOB IS A VERY SIMPLE ONE. THIS SIMPLY ISN'T HOW OUR FEDERAL SYSTEM IS SUPPOSED TO WORK. THAT IS TO SAY, IF YOU HAVE CONCERNS WITH THE WAY THAT AN ELECTION IN THE PRESIDENTIAL RACE WAS HANDLED IN YOUR STATE, THE APPROPRIATE RESPONSE IS TO APPROACH YOUR STATE LEGISLATORS, FIRST AND FOREMOST, THESE PROTESTS FROM -- HEARING FROM THOSE WHO HAVE RAISED CONCERNS, THEY SHOULD HAVE BEEN FOCUSED ON THEIR STATE CLILS, NOT OUR -- CAPTAIN YOLS, NOT OUR NATION'S CAPITOL.
YES, WE ARE THE ELECTION JUDGES WHEN IT COMES TO MEMBERS ELECTED TO OUR OWN BODY. YES, THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, THEY ARE THE JUDGES OF THEIR OWN RACES THERE. WE ALSO HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO PRESCRIBE AS A CONGRESS RULES GOVERNORRING THE TIME, PLACE, AND MANNER OF ELECTIONS FOR SENATORS AND REPRESENTATIVES. THERE IS NO CORRESPONDING AUTHORITY WITH RESPECT TO PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS, NONE WHATSOEVER. IT DOESN'T EXIST. OUR JOB IS TO CONVENE, TO OPEN THE BALLOTS AND TO COUNT THEM, THAT'S IT. THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT. I YIELD THE FLOOR. THE VICE PRESIDENT: THE DEMOCRATIC LEADER.
Sen. Lee lied. He failed to uphold his oath office today.