Cowboy State Daily
Cynthia Lummis: Here’s Why I Objected To Pennsylvania’s Electors
When the U.S. Capitol Police were rushing us out of the Senate chambers at the height of the chaos, a reporter asked me who I thought was leading this mayhem. I said that if it was indeed Trump supporters, I would be heartbroken.
This story first appeared on Cowboy State Daily
By Sen. Cynthia Lummis, exclusive to Cowboy State Daily
When the U.S. Capitol Police were rushing us out of the Senate chambers at the height of the chaos, a reporter asked me who I thought was leading this mayhem. I said that if it was indeed Trump supporters, I would be heartbroken.
I am heartbroken.
An attack on our Capitol is an attack on our Constitution and democracy itself. I strongly condemn the violence that occurred, which did more to damage the democratic process than to defend it.
What made this senseless act even more offensive is that it disrupted the constitutional process that myself and other members of the Senate were trying to peacefully use to ensure each and every American’s vote counts.
Despite the attack, in the best tradition of the United States Senate, we fulfilled our Constitutional duty.
Days before this attack on the Capitol, I stated my intention to join a group of colleagues to raise concerns about the constitutionality of Pennsylvania’s new vote-by-mail statute, and that Pennsylvania’s election law may have been applied unevenly by state officials, including signature verification and voter identification requirements.
Even the Pennsylvania Supreme Court’s chief justice noted that one of the lawsuits in his state raised “troublesome questions about the constitutional validity of the new mail-in voting scheme.”
Legislators, election judges, Congressmen and others in Pennsylvania are concerned. Wyoming citizens are concerned, too.
The hard truth is, this election rocked the faith of many Wyoming citizens in the integrity of our election system. Polling shows that 39% of Americans believe “the election was rigged.”
We cannot turn a blind eye to American citizens not having trust in the integrity of our election systems. And Congress has a long history of using the Constitutional process of certifying electors to highlight election concerns.
In recent history, Democrats have objected to certifying electors in 2001, 2005, and 2017.
In 2005, Senator Barbara Boxer and the late Representative Stephanie Tubbs Jones objected to the slate of electors from Ohio. They rightfully drew attention to the fact that many African-Americans and other communities suffered disproportionate wait times at the polls, broken voting machines and high ballot rejection rates.
Raising this objection led to some of these issues being remedied and more Americans having the precious opportunity to vote. That’s a legacy every American should value today.
Let me be clear: my objecting to the certification of the votes in Pennsylvania could not have changed the outcome of the election. That was never my intent.
Congress cannot and shall not dictate the results of a presidential election to our states.
That would be the death of our Republic. Rather, my objection was intended to shine a light on serious concerns over voter irregularities raised by Pennsylvania legislators themselves.
Many ask why Congress should be involved in election matters that have been considered by the courts.
Congress has the right and duty to interpret the Constitution, especially on matters which by the Constitution have been delegated to Congress, like the Electoral Count.
Congress itself interpreted the Twelfth Amendment in passing the Electoral Count Act in 1887.
The very title of the 1887 law says it all: “An act to fix the day for the meeting of the electors of President and Vice-President, and to provide for and regulate the counting of the votes for President and Vice-President, and the decision of questions arising thereon.”
Thomas Jefferson commented in an 1819 letter that “each of the three departments [of government] has equally the right to decide for itself what is its duty under the Constitution.” I consider my actions and the actions of my colleagues as a humble part of that long, storied tradition.
Congress cannot fix this; only state legislatures can fix this. But Congress can shine a light on election fraud.
That was the point of my vote on January 6. My fervent hope is that in state legislatures across the country where irregularities occurred, their lawmakers will consider meaningful election reform to ensure that our election laws are applied uniformly, to ensure the technology we use is accurate and secure, and most importantly, to ensure that all Americans treasure our precious right to vote and feel their voices are heard.
States are at the very center of elections in our country and will remain so. That is a fact I will always fight for.
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Cynthia Lummis is the junior senator from Wyoming.
Cindy Livingston
January 11, 2021 at 1:41 pm
Thank you to Sen. Cynthia Lummis for writing this and letting us know where she stands. As a voter, I am aware that the candidate that I support will not always win. I have always had faith in America’s voting system and was able to say that America has spoken no matter who won. Until this year. Mail in voting is an affront to America’s voting system. It should have never been allowed to happen. Pennsylvania’s handling of their election should have resulted in only votes that were done by the law being counted. Having more ballots than registered voters is always an indication of fraud. I do not think I am alone in saying that I never expected that the election would be just “overturned” or that Congress should be able to say who will serve as President, but that we could get audits to make sure that only legally registered voters could have their vote counted one time, in one State, in one precinct. In the current American climate nothing can even be accepted as truth. The Media spins everything to brainwash and divide the American Public. How do we come back from what is happening in our Country? How do we trust anything that we hear ever again? I, too, am heartbroken. Not for the same reason as Sen. Lummis because one cannot or at least should not judge all Trump Supporters on the actions of a few. Also, since all of the people who broke into the Capital have not been identified, it cannot be said that they were all Trump supporters and not members of other groups who wanted their actions to be blamed on Trump Supporters.
ray olson
January 11, 2021 at 6:27 pm
I believe that anyone who voted for trump was abducted and lobotomized by lizard people. I have no proof whatsoever of this but since I threw it out there, using your logic, you must now treat it as a serious theory
Gary M Small
January 13, 2021 at 11:38 am
Don’t forget about the liberal zombies that illegally voted as well while they were trying to eat my brains.
Ross Holter
January 11, 2021 at 3:59 pm
Cynthia Lummis is dabbling in revisionist history. The reason Electoral Count Act was passed in 1887 was because three states had not and could not certify their election results. Hence the very contentious election between Samuel Tilden and Rutherford B. Hayes was settled by congress through this act.
The key difference between now and then is that all of the states certified the results of their elections; including Pennsylvania. Leaving no avenue for congress to contest the results. The fact of the matter was Cynthia Lummis got caught up in a poorly thought out last ditch Trump appeasing effort. Her actions encouraged the seditious coup attempt on our Government and 5 Americans died as a result. She needs to be held accountable for her deception for she has blood on her hands.
Jim Moss
January 11, 2021 at 7:10 pm
Cynthia Lummis’ argument is weak and an effort to appease a certain number of Republicans (like me) to continue to support her treasonous act of objecting to the certification after having survived an attack on the Capitol. She was only able to perform that constitutional action bse Trump supporters weren’t able to complete their mission of harming VP Pence and others. You should’ve shown courage and certified the results. Instead, you furthered the baseless ‘widespread fraud claims’ and conspiracy theories that led to the attack in the first place. Sorry, I’m an American first, and then a Republican. You and others that objected have blood on your hands. You should resign, as you’ll be a one term Senator.
Jim Moss
January 11, 2021 at 7:30 pm
It takes courage to stand up for truth and not further baseless lies and conspiracies. Cynthia, sorry but you failed us Republicans and the Great State of Wyoming by objecting to the certification, after the attack by Trump supporters that put your life at risk. Your act didn’t defend the constitution or our cause.
Mitch Smith
January 11, 2021 at 9:15 pm
Thank You!
Richard Hofmeier
January 11, 2021 at 10:22 pm
You, ma’am are definitely NOT a Patriot and did NOT fulfill your duties to America OR the State of Wyoming by your attention grabbing stunt. YOU yourself admit to NOT Representing the majority of even the State that sent you to Washington. OVER 60% of the people of your own state did not and do not believe in a blatant lie perpetuated by the sitting president. EVEN the Pennsylvania courts ruled against this attempt to take away the people’s voice, as having NO VALIDITY. I can’t wait until we can remind the voters of Wyoming that it only took you TWO DAYS to violate your oath.
David krise
January 12, 2021 at 10:39 am
Well you told half of the truth. Before your comment on Trump supporters you initially claimed it was Antifa. So now use your position to lead us out of this mess you helped to create. Work hard to find out who the rioters were. Tell the full truth about the origins of their anger. Call out hate groups. Reject extreme views like birtherism, QAnon, and other fringe falsehoods. If your party devolves into hate lead it to responsibility.
Gus Wellsby
January 12, 2021 at 1:48 pm
Making her apology tour, I see. Not that she actually cares what Wyomingites think, but I’m guessing the loss of several significant corporate donors has actually hit her where it hurts. Maybe she should actually consider doing her job, rather than pulling stupid political stunts that benefit nothing other than her war chest?
James Punches
January 12, 2021 at 9:53 pm
I believe the name “Trump” will become a political curse word and that all who have supported him, however innocently, will be stained by the word.
Margie Stillwell
January 18, 2021 at 4:17 pm
I totally agree. You who support him have been duped. And I’m a Republican. Joe and Kamala got my vote this time around. He truley is mentally unbalanced and has no emotions concerning anyone but himself. Watch he will throw his children under the bus in the end.
Gary M Small
January 12, 2021 at 9:56 pm
And just like every other politician that has taken your route: You have no evidence of voter fraud, as proven by over 60 court cases. You just hang on the weak hypothesis that voters think there is voter fraud. Misinformation brought on by your own party and the tangerine terror. You obviously have some political agenda that will benefit your political career in the future and I’ll go out on a limb and say you are delusional.
Dan Casey
January 14, 2021 at 8:57 am
Recall the Reno Cheney. She didn’t even live in Wyoming but bought tge Senate seat using her daddy’s name and money. She does not have Wyoming best interest in mind. Recall!
Margie Stillwell
January 18, 2021 at 10:09 am
He, Trump is proven in the past and now to be a mentally unstable and abusive person.
Elizabeth McCall
January 21, 2021 at 11:11 am
Thankyou for standing steadfast for Wyoming and your promise