House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) is preparing her Democratic colleagues for the upcoming challenges they could face when certifying the Electoral College votes.
In a letter she penned to her colleagues on Sunday, Pelosi reminded them President Donald Trump’s presidency and his attempts to overturn the election are unlike anything they have ever seen.
“Over the years, we have experienced many challenges in the House, but no situation matches the Trump presidency and the Trump disrespect for the will of the people,” Pelosi wrote.
She called Wednesday a day “fraught with meaning.”
Pelosi advised her colleagues on what they will do if lawmakers object to the certification of the votes.
“If a written objection is lodged by a Member of the House and Senate, we then meet in our individual chambers for up to two hours of debate. Only then will Members be recognized to speak on the Floor. Unless both the House and Senate vote to reject the Electoral count for the state in question, the objection is rejected,” she added.
“Over the years, we have experienced many challenges in the House, but no situation matches the Trump presidency and the Trump disrespect for the will of the people,” @SpeakerPelosi says in a Dear Colleague letter to the Democratic Caucus pic.twitter.com/Q8jDx2kMeN
— Alayna Treene (@alaynatreene) January 3, 2021
She is confident Biden will be sworn in and hopes the outcome will give Americans more trust in the process.
“On Monday, we will have a clearer picture of how many state votes will be subject to an objection,” Pelosi said.
She went on, “Our choice is not to use the forum to debate the presidency of Donald Trump. While there is no doubt as to the outcome of the Biden-Harris presidency, our further success is to convince more of the American people to trust in our democratic system.”
While several Republicans in the House and Senate have vowed to object to the Electoral College results, others have criticized them for doing so, including Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R-Ill.), and Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah).