Group of Republican senators refuses to certify Biden’s victory

So far, only one senator, Josh Hawley, had expressed his 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 sitting senators and four newly elected senators said in a statement. echoing the allegations made by outgoing President Donald Trump, launched for 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 close victory, proposed the group, led by influential Senator Ted Cruz, a representative of Texas. Without this audit, “we will vote on January 6 to reject the voters of 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 this 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 the 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 differently, “the eleven senators acknowledged in Saturday’s statement.