2 January 2021 — 1451 mst

A case of act first, think later

Sen. Daines joins Hawley’s democracy damaging campaign to delegitimize Biden's election as President of the United States

When Congress convenes in joint session on 6 January to certify the results of the Electoral College’s 306–232 vote electing Joe Biden the next President of the United States, the session should be ceremonial, as it has been for over a century. Instead, thanks to diehard Trump sycophants and sans-scruples senators with presidential ambitions, led by Josh Hawley (R-Missouri) and Ted Cruz (R-Texas), the session will become a debate over the legitimacy of a fair and free election, with hours of speechs to stuff the Congressional Record with bogus claims of election fraud and irregularities that justify overturning the will of the voters.

Today, Montana’s junior senator, just re-elected Steve Daines, announced he has joined Hawley’s and Cruz’s despicable campaign to delegitimize Biden’s victory. To put it bluntly, he’s decided to be a lapdog for Trump’s bootlickers. He should know better. Now he must explain why his own election in a state that voted for Trump is legitimate, but elections in states that voted for Biden are not, and why legitimacy is a product not of the voters’ will but of the losing candidate’s desired outcome. That will be an interesting exercise in sophistry, and probably a good subject for high school and college debators.

Earlier today, I Tweeted two multi-Tweet commentaries on the situation. Daines’ if-you-believe-this-you-will-believe-anything Tweet justifying his mischief follows my Tweet chains.

#mtpol One reason Hawley, Daines, et al, on 6 Jan. will incite a debate on the election is to stuff the Congressional Record with bogus claims of election fraud and irregularities. The CR then will be cited as evidence that the election was rigged & Biden's win was illegitimate.

— James Conner (@jrcflatheadmemo) January 2, 2021

Daines’s Tweet defending his attempt to monkeywrench democracy:

I believe we need an election commission to review the November 3rd, 2020 presidential election process to restore trust for the American people. My full statement in advance of the Electoral College certification process on January 6, 2021: pic.twitter.com/AMFXysdf95

— Steve Daines (@SteveDaines) January 2, 2021

If you disagree with Daines’ decision to challenge Biden’s legitimate win of the 2020 election for president, send him a message — email or call 202-224-2651 — urging him to consider further the implications of his decision and to withdraw his support for a challenge that is both unnecessary and profoundly unwise. He would be better off admitting he was going to make a mistake but caught himself before makin it than to suppress his doubts and to go ahead and make the mistake.