Thread by @dsamuelsohn

NEW: President Trump & his team are hoping Pence will launch a last-ditch maneuver to suspend counting the electoral votes that will formalize Biden's victory, 2 Republicans close to the White House told @Politicsinsider - by @tomlobianco ($) ow.ly/itcp50D1yGR

Backing up, here's Tom's lead for those who haven't gone behind the paywall: "Vice President Mike Pence has long reveled in the pomp and circumstance of elected office, the celebratory speeches and official declarations that most journalists roll their eyes at."

But now the pomp & circumstance of standing by Trump's side for more than 4 years has put the VP in the worst jeopardy of his career. Pence today will take on the role of Senate president & read off the Electoral College vote counts & eventually declare Biden the president.

It's a ceremonial task that Pence is obligated to undertake thanks to the Constitution. The problem is that when the vice president does his job he'll also be ensuring in another two weeks that the president he's served alongside for the last four years doesn't have one anymore.

But Pence may still have a way out, said 2 Republicans close to the WH. Trump & his legal team are hoping Pence will take the unprecedented step of suspending the counting of electoral votes in the Senate & sending them back to the states for recertification, 1 of the Rs said.

Trump hinted at the historic delay tactic in a statement issued Tuesday night, "Our Vice President has several options under the U.S. Constitution. He can decertify the results or send them back to the states for change and certification."

Trump does not have the authority to reject the Electoral College votes. Still, a senior House Democratic aide told Insider on Wednesday that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and her team "are prepared for everything."

Rs have deemed this a "low-grade coup" & it appears destined to fail even if Pence attempts it. That's b/c the VP's move would need affirmative House & Senate votes where bipartisan majorities have already publicly opposed Trump's efforts to reject the election results.

Still, Pence by making the motion on the House floor could help deflect at least some of the blame for being the final person to foist reality on Trump: he lost.

"I would absolutely have a contingency plan," said one of the Republicans familiar with the last-ditch effort. "The last thing Pence wants is to have Trump start tweeting about him."

Check out this whole story from @tomlobianco - who literally wrote the book about Mike Pence - by subscribing to @businessinsider - Here's how businessinsider.com/subscription