.@BenSasse: "Today, the United States Capitol — the world’s greatest symbol of self-government — was ransacked while the leader of the free world cowered behind his keyboard — tweeting against his Vice President for fulfilling the duties of his oath to the Constitution."
2/ “...Lies have consequences. This violence was the inevitable and ugly outcome of the President’s addiction to constantly stoking division...
3/“...Americans are better than this: Americans aren’t nihilists. Americans aren’t arsonists. Americans aren’t French revolutionaries taking to the barricades...
Portman: “... after two months of recounts and legal challenges, not a single state recount changed a result and, of the dozens of lawsuits filed, not one found evidence of fraud or irregularities widespread enough to change the result of the election...
2/“... This was the finding of numerous Republican-appointed judges and the Trump Administration’s own Department of Justice. Every state has now weighed in and certified its electoral slate based on its vote and the process set out in the Constitution....
3/“... Over the course of my public service career I have taken the same oath on numerous occasions, swearing to preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States...
Statement by John C. Danforth (U.S. Senator, R-MO, 1976-1995) Concerning Challenges to the Votes of the Electoral College
“Citing my support for Josh Hawley's campaigns, a number of people have asked me to comment on his decision to challenge votes of the electoral college...
2/ “...Lending credence to Trump's false claim that the election was stolen is a highly destructive attack on our constitutional government. It is the opposite of conservative; it is radical....
3/“... As one friend asked me, ‘What are my grandchildren to think of America if they are told that elections are fraudulent?’At a time of extreme polarization the populist strategy is to drive America even farther apart by promoting conspiracy theories and stoking grievances...
2/ Why would Cheney, Rumsfeld, Mattis & Esper (and the rest) feel the need to write that “Efforts to involve the U.S. armed forces in resolving election disputes would take us into dangerous, unlawful and unconstitutional territory” ?
3/ Why note that “Acting defense secretary Christopher C. Miller and his subordinates — political appointees, officers and civil servants — are each bound by oath, law and precedent to facilitate the entry into office of the incoming administration, and to do so wholeheartedly”?
“All our basic rights and freedoms flow from a fidelity to the Constitution and the rule of law. This principle is not only fundamentally American but a central tenet of conservatism. Under our system, voters determine the president,...
2/ “... and this self-governance cannot sustain itself if the whims of Congress replace the will of the people. I urge members to consider the precedent that it would set...
3/ “... “Efforts to reject the votes of the Electoral College and sow doubt about Joe Biden’s victory strike at the foundation of our republic....