126 House Republicans Now Support Lawsuit To Overturn Election In Updated Brief – Forbes

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Another 20 House Republicans have been added to an amicus brief in support of a lawsuit brought by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton aimed at overturning the results of the presidential election, a sign of the enormous political pressure on GOP lawmakers to back President Trumps long-shot legal efforts.

WASHINGTON, DC - SEPTEMBER 25: U.S. House Minority Leader Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) speaks as Rep. ... [+] Jim Jordan (R-OH), and House Minority Whip Rep. Steve Scalise (R-LA) listen during a news conference at the U.S. Capitol September 25, 2019 in Washington, DC. House GOP leaders held a news conference to discuss Speaker of the House Pelosis announcement of a formal impeachment inquiry into President Donald Trump. (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images)

The new names include the Houses top two Republicans: Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) and Minority Whip Steve Scalise (R-La.), both of whom have vocally supported the presidents legal efforts.

In total, the signers represent nearly two-thirds of the House GOP and include some members perceived as relative moderates in the caucus such as Reps. Ann Wagner (R-Mo.) and Jeff Van Drew (R-N.J.), who was a Democrat until last December.

The complaint they support asks the Supreme Court to invalidate electors in Pennsylvania, Michigan, Wisconsin and Georgia based on claims that state officials illegally expanded mail-in voting and that the expansion resulted in widespread irregularities and fraud an argument rejected by numerous courts.

23 Democratic state attorneys general filed a brief opposing the lawsuit, as did Montana Gov. Steve Bullock,a Democrat whose Republican attorney general signed the brief supporting it.

Trump has repeatedly put pressure on officials to do everything they can to support his legal efforts. In addition to calling country officials in Detroit and Pennsylvania GOP leaders, he has met with GOP leaders in Michigan and demanded Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp and Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey, both Trump supporters, assist his efforts to overturn the election.

70. Thats how many Republican House members have not signed the brief. 23 Republicans in Congress 14 representatives and 9 senators have acknowledged Joe Bidens victory.

The states whose results are being challenged issues scathing responses to the lawsuit on Thursday. Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro alleged a seditious abuse of the judicial process, while Wisconsins Josh Kaul called the lawsuit an "extraordinary intrusion into Wisconsin's and the other defendant States' elections. Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr, a Republican, wrote that Texas has no basis to challenge another states results, calling their complaint a generalized grievance that does not give them standing.

In addition to clashes between states, there have also been dissenting voices within states. Utah Gov. Gary Herbert and Lt. Gov Spencer Cox, both Republicans, criticized the lawsuit as an unwise use of taxpayer money after Utah Attorney General Sean Reyes joined the Republican attorneys general supporting it. Republican leaders in the Pennsylvania legislature broke with their states attorney general and filed a brief supporting the lawsuit, while Iowas Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds said she would have joined the lawsuit despite her states Democratic attorney general refusing to join.

House Republicans who didnt sign the brief had mixed reactions to the number of their colleagues who did. Outgoing Rep. Denver Riggleman (R-Va.) who has called the lawsuit preposterous and built on disinformation said the figure is stunning and told Forbes he predicted only around 70 would sign, speculating that some pressure was exerted on the caucus. Rep. Don Bacon (R-Neb.), who said he considered signing but ultimately decided against it, told Forbes he was not really surprised.

The case is unlikely to succeed, given that the Supreme Court already refused to hear a similar case brought by Pennsylvania Republicans. The Court is expected to make a ruling ahead of the electoral college vote on Monday, potentially as soon as Friday.

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126 House Republicans Now Support Lawsuit To Overturn Election In Updated Brief - Forbes

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