In his coup scheme, Trump tried to exploit ambiguities in the Electoral Count Act. Congress just strengthened democracy by reforming the 135-year-old law. (via MaddowBlog)
The law was passed in the aftermath of a brutally messy election controversy, and it was designed to establish a congressional process for certifying electoral votes. For generations, it was largely treated as a legal afterthought, if it was thought of at all.
some of the key elements of the new Electoral Count Reform and Presidential Transition Improvement Act:. Affirmatively states that the constitutional role of the Vice President in the counting of electoral votes is ceremonial, with no power to adjudicate conflicts that might arise.Raises the threshold to object to a state’s electors to at least one-fifth of the duly chosen and sworn members of both the House of Representatives and the Senate — up from one member of each chamber.
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Congress revises Electoral Count Act that Trump used to pressure Pence on Jan. 6By revising the Electoral Count Act, senators and representatives have made clear that a vice president does not have the power to overturn a presidential election.
Read more »
Senate passes Electoral Count Act overhaul in response to Jan. 6 attackA bipartisan bill that would change how members of Congress could object to electoral votes — Congress’s response to the Jan. 6 insurrection — passed the Senate on Thursday as part of sweeping spending bill to fund the government.
Read more »
Senate Passes Massive Spending Bill That Closes January 6 LoopholeThe omnibus included a bipartisan measure reforming the Electoral Count Act of 1887, the ancient law whose ambiguities were exploited by the perpetrators of the January 6 insurrection
Read more »
House passes $1.7T spending bill, sending measure to Biden, averting shutdownJUST IN: The House has passed a $1.7T government spending bill, a significant step in averting a government shutdown.
Read more »
Republican rebuke: How 18 GOP senators dealt another blow to Trump this weekEighteen Senate Republicans voted in support of the Electoral Count Act in the omnibus spending bill that passed the upper chamber on Thursday, rebuking former President Donald Trump's actions back in 2021.
Read more »