Kyle Cheney Profile picture
Jan 7, 2021 4 tweets 1 min read Read on X
It's 2:55 a.m. and I just figured out how Pence massaged the rules of the Electoral College counting session to avoid introducing the "rival" slates of Trump electors.

These are the instructions VPs have given out at the start in each of the last 5. Note the difference? Image
TLDR: The law specifies that the VP must introduce all "purported" electoral votes. This year, that might've included the unserious/mock Trump electors.

But Pence worked with the parliamentarian to interpret it so only electors backed by a state "authority" would be introduced.
Note how Pence emphasizes, before introduced each state that not only is the slate of electors "regular" and "authentic," but that the parliamentarian has advised him is the only one backed by a state "authority."

That is not a regular acknowledgment at these sessions.
A lot of people interested in this process. Even had Pence introduced these electors, which it’s not entirely clear he had authority to do, they would be legally invalid and unable to be counted by Congress. It would have accomplished nothing except making a lot of people angrier

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More from @kyledcheney

Dec 2
HAPPENING NOW: Rahmullah Lakanwal makes his initial appearance in DC Superior Court, from a hospital bed, on charges for last week's National Guard shooting.
He's being apprised, through an interpreter, of the murder charge against him as well as charges of possessing of a firearm during commission of a violent offense, assault w intent to kill while armed.
Prosecutors are asking the judge to keep Lakanwal detained during pretrial proceedings. Lakanwal, who does appear to be in pain, says he can't open his eyes. His attorney is advising him not to speak.
Read 12 tweets
Nov 28
NEW: ICE’s policy of mass detaining immigrants w pending deportation proceedings has led to an avalanche of rejections in court.

More than 220 judges — including 23 Trump appointees — have called it an illegal distortion of long-settled law. politico.com/news/2025/11/2…Image
Those judges have ruled against the administration more than 700 times since ICE implemented its draconian new policy on July 8.

Only 8 judges have side with ICE’s position. politico.com/news/2025/11/2…Image
The cases have surged as ICE reclassified millions who have resided in the United States for years as “arriving aliens” or “applicants for admission” — making them subject to mandatory detention typically meant for those who just crossed the border. politico.com/news/2025/11/2…Image
Image
Read 7 tweets
Nov 24
BREAKING: Comey case dismissed without prejudice. Halligan invalidly appointed, judge rules. storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.usco…Image
This applies to the Letitia James indictment as well. Both cases are now dismissed without prejudice. storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.usco…
NEWS: The criminal cases against James Comey and Letitia James are gone. A federal judge ruled that the appointment of Lindsey Halligan as the lead prosecutor was illegal.

DOJ could try again, but there are other headwinds.

w/ @joshgerstein

politico.com/news/2025/11/2…Image
Read 5 tweets
Nov 21
JUST IN: A federal judge says one of the Venezuelan men — illegally deported to El Salvador in March before he was swapped back to Venezuela in a prisoner exchange — is now missing, possibly a victim of the violence he was seeking asylum from.

storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.usco…Image
Judge Stephanie Gallagher, a Trump appointee in MD, says the administration flagrantly and repeatedly defied her orders to provide regular updates about the man’s return. But she stops short of finding contempt bc it was Rubio, who isn’t named in the lawsuit, who was responsible for communicating w El Salvador

storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.usco…Image
Image
More on the man illegally deported in violation of a court-approved settlement politico.com/news/2025/05/0…
Read 5 tweets
Nov 19
BREAKING: Prosecutors in the Comey case just told the judge that they’re under orders from the Deputy Attorney Generals’s office not to disclose whether career prosecutors wrote a memo recommending *against* indicting Comey prior to Halligan going to the grand jury.
AUSA Tyler Lemons told Judge Nachmanoff that he hasn’t gotten permission to disclose what could be considered “privileged” or “work product” material. He did say he asked to review and possible declination memo and has seen “drafts.”
NEW: The prosecution of James Comey is hanging by a thread, besieged on all sides by challenges to the legitimacy of the prosecutor, the grand jury process and the motives for bringing the case in the first place.
w/ @joshgerstein

politico.com/news/2025/11/1…
Read 4 tweets
Nov 18
BREAKING: A panel of federal judges has enjoined Texas from using its redrawn congressional maps , ordering the state to use its 2021 boundaries. storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.usco…Image
NEWS: A panel of Texas judges, led by a Trump appointee, concluded that Texas' mega-redistricting push was likely an illegal racial gerrymander and must be blocked from taking effect.

w/ @andrewjfhoward @joshgerstein

politico.com/news/2025/11/1…Image
@andrewjfhoward @joshgerstein The court also sharply rejected the notion that its ruling would disrupt the midterms. The filing deadline hasn't passed, the judges say, and if anyone is to blame, it's the state for operating on a rushed timeline. politico.com/news/2025/11/1…Image
Read 4 tweets

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