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Statement on the Electoral College Vote

January 3, 2021

An Open Letter to the People of the 8th Congressional District

In accordance with the 12th Amendment, Congress will meet in a joint session on January 6th to count Electoral College votes following the 2020 presidential election.

The American people need to have confidence in the integrity of our election process. Currently, millions of people do not trust the outcome of this presidential election because there is incontrovertible evidence of voter irregularity- if not outright fraud- in multiple states. Furthermore, election laws were changed in numerous states contrary to Article II of the Constitution. These election changes included extending the deadline for mail-in ballots, adding unsecured drop box collection sites, and changes to signature verification measures- processes that are susceptible to increased fraud as spelled out by a bipartisan commission on election reform co-chaired by former President Jimmy Carter.

That is why I joined more than 120 colleagues on an amicus brief concerning an election lawsuit led by the state of Texas. Our brief recommended the Supreme Court take up the case and specifically look at these changes to state election laws. I believe the Court should have examined these changes and missed an opportunity to give confidence to the American people that the election was conducted legally and fairly. Unfortunately, by refusing to take up the case, the American people were denied their day in court and these questions remain.

Every American should want to ensure our election laws were followed correctly and investigate every case of alleged fraud, no matter how it would impact the outcome of the election.

I am also concerned about the impact big tech bias and censorship had on this election. From unprecedented suppression of information like the New York Post's story on the Bidens' financial ties to foreign governments, to arbitrary ‘flags' on individual posts and ideas, big tech companies engaged in dangerous efforts to interfere in this election that must be addressed. The latest example is Facebook disabling the account of the Republican joint fundraising committee for the Georgia Senate special election.

For these reasons, I believe it is my Constitutional duty to object to certifying the Electoral College votes of certain states that violated their own election laws.

I know there are many who will disagree with my decision to object, and the hyper-partisan hysteria from some on the left and in the media is predictable. However, I am fighting to preserve the process that makes their disagreement with me possible in the first place. I believe these issues deserve a serious debate in the House and the Senate, just as Democrats did following the 2004 and 2016 presidential elections. In fact, now Speaker Nancy Pelosi said during the debate in 2005 that the objections were "democracy at work" and "fundamental to our democracy."

I agree. These issues are more important than one party, one candidate or one election outcome. It is my hope that through open debate, we can raise these legitimate concerns and identify common sense solutions to safeguard our election integrity.

I do not support a federal takeover of elections, as has been proposed by House Democrats. However, I do believe there could be minimum national standards on issues like voter ID, signature verification, the rights of election observers and general ballot security.

I want to be part of a bipartisan solution to restore transparency and faith in our election process. I remain committed to working across the aisle on these and other solutions, and look forward to all we can accomplish together as your representative in the 117th Congress.

Richard Hudson
Member of Congress