Baird objects to Arizona, Pennsylvania electoral votes

Thursday, January 7, 2021
Jim Baird

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- In a bid to overturn the election of Joe Biden as the next U.S. president, Congressman Jim Baird (4th District-Greencastle) joined lawmakers in objections to the certification of electoral votes from key states.

Meant as a largely ceremonial affair, members of Congress held a joint session Wednesday to accept the votes of the Electoral College from last November’s presidential election. However, the day was accented by violence after supporters of President Donald Trump infiltrated the Capitol and disrupted the proceedings.

Baird was one among the Indiana delegation in the House of Representatives to object to the certification of votes in Arizona and Pennsylvania, both being pivotal counts which Biden secured.

With the objection to the certification of Arizona’s electoral votes, the House denied it 303-121. In turn, the objection failed in the Senate 93-6.

The Pennsylvania objection in the House failed 282-138. In turn, the objection failed with a 92-7 vote in the Senate.

Congress ultimately confirmed President-Elect Biden’s election victory early Thursday morning.

“While I condemn the violent protests that occurred today at the U.S. Capitol in the strongest terms possible, it doesn’t change the fact that concerns remain on how several states enacted new election rules without the consent from their state legislatures,” Baird stated in a Facebook post late Wednesday evening.

He added that state legislators were “important actors of federalism” with the ability to govern themselves and trust the decisions of others. However, Baird claimed that “several” lawmakers in different states “neglect(ed) to follow proper procedure in changing election laws” to adjust to disruptions from COVID-19.

“If some states didn’t follow the rules it negates the voters from other states, like Indiana, that did and reduces the confidence voters have in our entire process,” Baird wrote. “When this confidence is eroded and a state violates the Constitution in a manner that impacts the rest of the country, it is Congress’s duty to rectify the issue.

“More important to me than my personal ideology on federalism is my duty to country and to the Hoosiers who elected me to be their voice in Washington,” Baird concluded. “My objection to disputed state electors is at the request of the Hoosiers I represent.”

While Trump and other Republicans have continued to object to what they see as voting irregularities in some states, no substantive changes to the election results have come about through numerous recounts and dozens of court cases.

Joining Baird in the objections of both the Arizona and Pennsylvania votes were Rep. Jackie Walorski (R-2nd District) and Rep. Jim Banks (R-3rd District).

Rep. Greg Pence (R-6th District) also went along with the latter objection.

Sen. Mike Braun intended to object to the Arizona vote in the Senate, but reversed course following the pro-Trump riot. He also voted against the objection to certifying Pennsylvania’s votes.

Meanwhile, Sen. Todd Young made no objection to the electoral votes in Arizona and Pennsylvania.