Vice President Mike Pence said on Wednesday that he lacked constitutional authority to follow President Trump’s wishes to throw out Electoral College votes for President-elect Joe Biden.
Why it matters: Trump has been pressuring Pence to overturn the election results as part of an ongoing attempt to subvert Biden’s clear win, which failed to garner evidence or support through various legal battles. Trump will view Pence’s statement as the ultimate act of betrayal.
What they’re saying: “It is my considered judgement that my oath to support and defend the Constitution constrains me from claiming unilateral authority to determine which electoral votes should be counted and which should not,” Pence wrote. Continue reading.