As we mentioned before, Congress was evacuated earlier when protesters breached the Capitol. Sen. Rand Paul was ready to give a speech on why he had chosen not to vote “to overturn the verdict of the states.”
With floor speeches on hold indefinitely, Paul tweeted his speech from an undisclosed location.
This is the speech I'll be giving today from an undisclosed location.
— Senator Rand Paul (@RandPaul) January 6, 2021
I wrote a speech today.
I was planning to say I fear the chaos of establishing a precedent that Congress can overturn elections.
— Senator Rand Paul (@RandPaul) January 6, 2021
Boy, was I right.
Chaos. Anarchy. It’s wrong and un-American.
— Senator Rand Paul (@RandPaul) January 6, 2021
The vote we are about to cast is important.
Now more than ever.
The question is: Should Congress override the certified results from the states and nullify the states’ right to conduct elections?
— Senator Rand Paul (@RandPaul) January 6, 2021
The vote today is not a protest; the vote today is literally to overturn the election!
Voting to overturn state-certified elections would be the opposite of what states’ rights Republicans have always advocated for.
— Senator Rand Paul (@RandPaul) January 6, 2021
This would doom the electoral college forever.
It was never intended by our founders that Congress have the power to overturn state-certified elections.
My oath to the Constitution doesn’t allow me to disobey the law. I cannot vote to overturn the verdict of the states.
— Senator Rand Paul (@RandPaul) January 6, 2021
Such a vote would be to overturn everything held dear by those of us who support the rights of states in this great system of federalism bequeathed to us by our founders.
The electoral college was created to devolve the power of selecting presidential electors to the states.
— Senator Rand Paul (@RandPaul) January 6, 2021
The electoral college is, without question, an inseparable friend to those who believe that every American across our vast country deserves to be heard.
If Congress were given the power to overturn the states’ elections . . . what terrible chaos would ensue.
— Senator Rand Paul (@RandPaul) January 6, 2021
Imagine the furor against the electoral college if Congress becomes a forum to overturn states’ electoral college slates.
— Senator Rand Paul (@RandPaul) January 6, 2021
It is one thing to be angry. It is another to focus one’s anger in a constructive way. That hasn’t happened today, to say the least. We simply cannot destroy the Constitution, our laws, and the electoral college in the process.
— Senator Rand Paul (@RandPaul) January 6, 2021
I hope as the nation’s anger cools, we can channel that energy into essential electoral reforms in every state.
— Senator Rand Paul (@RandPaul) January 6, 2021
That’s what we wanted to hear … essential electoral reforms in every state. And to be honest, that’s what people like Sen. Ted Cruz were calling for in their objections to the certification of the election: the creation of a commission to oversee those reforms. We can’t keep going on wondering who actually won each election. (Looking at you, Stacey Abrams and Hillary Clinton, but not excusing President Trump.)
America is admired around the world for our free elections. We must, we absolutely must, fix this mess and restore confidence and integrity to our elections.
— Senator Rand Paul (@RandPaul) January 6, 2021
Paul’s speech is getting a mixed reaction:
Good job Senator Rand Paul. This is probably the only thing I will ever support you on. Thank you for respecting your job at least for this one thing.
— Prepared Multiboxer (@PreparedWoW) January 6, 2021
Thank you for saying this publicly. Now convince these misinformed people that the election was not rigged, fraudulent or stolen. You know that it wasn't so please tell these people that.
— Lisa M SMITH (@lmsky8) January 6, 2021
That’s the thing; We’re not fans of lawsuits, but we were hoping to see evidence in court that the election wasn’t rigged.
Primary. Out with you.
— PRIMARY ALL RINOS (@bertento) January 6, 2021
Then resign, please.
— Il Divo (@HenryPierzchala) January 6, 2021
You have state legislatures telling you that in light of the fraud that was perpetrated, their votes should NEVER have been certified. You have state legislatures asking you to reject their results…
— Melissa Camille (@MelissaCamille) January 6, 2021
It was never intended by our founders that millions of illegal fraudulent ballots and votes to the states or Congress. It was written with the intent that is was all done legally.
— Bob E. McClain TexanBorn51 (@BobEMcClain) January 6, 2021
Aren't the states asking for this? That's sure what it sounded like today.
— Jason Berardi (@dietwedge) January 6, 2021
States playing fast and loose with their own elections will doom the electoral college forever.
What good is our Republic if a handful of rogue local officials under the disinterest, at best, and blessing at worst of state officials?
— WheelmanForHire (@WheelmanForHire) January 6, 2021
You need to teach them the consequences going forward until we have national level MINIMUM election safeguards for NATIONAL elections.
We CAN NOT let elections be determined by the states with the weakest election rules while the states with strict rules get punished.
— WheelmanForHire (@WheelmanForHire) January 6, 2021
Speaking of weak election rules, what’s the chance of getting election reform done with a Democratic president and Congress? And by election reform, we don’t mean giving the vote to illegal immigrants or felons.
Related:
Adviser to Sen. Ted Cruz reminds us when Hillary Clinton and others had ‘lots of questions’ about the 2016 election’s legitimacy https://t.co/zguDNlMGpo
— Twitchy Team (@TwitchyTeam) January 3, 2021
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