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Blumancru

(148 posts)
Mon Dec 8, 2025, 07:58 PM 10 hrs ago

What happens if Maga Mike refuses to swear the new congress in?

I mean, he recently delayed seating a duly elected member of congress. Who is to say he will seat ANY new Democratic members, claiming widespread fraud?
What happens, constitutionally, then? The old congress no longer exists, and there isn’t a new one? Trump thereby effectively dissolves the House?
It sounds far fetched, but so do a lot of things that have actually happened.

23 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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What happens if Maga Mike refuses to swear the new congress in? (Original Post) Blumancru 10 hrs ago OP
I could be wrong JBTaurus83 10 hrs ago #1
See post #4 for how things actually work. Nt Fiendish Thingy 10 hrs ago #5
Then the 2nd Civil War starts. OAITW r.2.0 10 hrs ago #2
Then the 2nd Civil War continues. perfessor 10 hrs ago #3
See post #4 for how things actually work. Nt Fiendish Thingy 10 hrs ago #6
Doesn't work that way Fiendish Thingy 10 hrs ago #4
I was reacting to the suggestion. With an abxence of facts. OAITW r.2.0 10 hrs ago #7
You've been given the facts Fiendish Thingy 9 hrs ago #9
I don't know, do you? OAITW r.2.0 9 hrs ago #10
There is no Speaker Johnson in the next Congress mr715 8 hrs ago #11
Unless, of course....there is a declared Republican majority. OAITW r.2.0 8 hrs ago #13
And if pigs could fly mr715 8 hrs ago #14
Dems will gain at least 20-30 seats despite gerrymandering Fiendish Thingy 7 hrs ago #18
And yet... Fiendish Thingy 7 hrs ago #17
Exactly however VMA131Marine 10 hrs ago #8
But what if H2O Man 6 hrs ago #21
You're welcome Fiendish Thingy 6 hrs ago #22
There are times H2O Man 6 hrs ago #23
I will put him into a large crock pot, with Jack Valentino 8 hrs ago #12
I think it's safe to assume that the Republican controlled... Whiskeytide 7 hrs ago #15
They don't have a choice Fiendish Thingy 6 hrs ago #19
If the old congress doesn't exist anymore, is he still the speaker? Iggo 7 hrs ago #16
See post #4 for a fact based answer. Nt Fiendish Thingy 6 hrs ago #20

JBTaurus83

(806 posts)
1. I could be wrong
Mon Dec 8, 2025, 08:04 PM
10 hrs ago

But, if he were to do something that drastic, I think Dems could get a judge to swear everyone in.

Fiendish Thingy

(21,772 posts)
4. Doesn't work that way
Mon Dec 8, 2025, 08:22 PM
10 hrs ago

When the new Congress convenes on January 3, 2027, there will be no speaker.

The members-elect elect a new speaker, and if Dems have the majority of members-elect, then I would expect a Dem speaker to be elected.

Then the new speaker swears in the rest of the members, unless one of the members-elect objects to the seating of a specific member (which would set off a tit-for-tat bloodbath), they are all sworn in en masse.

https://www.congress.gov/crs-product/RL30725

I really hate when a lack of understanding of how government works spreads dangerous misinformation.

OAITW r.2.0

(31,188 posts)
7. I was reacting to the suggestion. With an abxence of facts.
Mon Dec 8, 2025, 08:38 PM
10 hrs ago

Let's see if the institution (Congress) holds in the age of Trump.

Fiendish Thingy

(21,772 posts)
9. You've been given the facts
Mon Dec 8, 2025, 09:21 PM
9 hrs ago

Now that you know how a new congress selects the speaker and seats its members, what do you think republicans might do on January 3 2027 that would affect the swearing in of the new congress?

OAITW r.2.0

(31,188 posts)
10. I don't know, do you?
Mon Dec 8, 2025, 09:29 PM
9 hrs ago

Because I believe that the Republican Party is a criminal organization in all 50 States.

Why?

Because they are fronting a criminal President, hellbent at destroying the system that found him quilty and accountable..

mr715

(2,522 posts)
11. There is no Speaker Johnson in the next Congress
Mon Dec 8, 2025, 09:53 PM
8 hrs ago

Remember the first public humiliation of Leader McCarthy? The clerk or someone convenes the House, and their first vote is to elect a Speaker. If there are more Democrats than Republicans, they elect their Speaker.

Presumptive Minority Leader Johnson does not swear anyone in.

Fiendish Thingy

(21,772 posts)
18. Dems will gain at least 20-30 seats despite gerrymandering
Mon Dec 8, 2025, 11:36 PM
7 hrs ago

There will be no republican majority in the house in 2027.

Fiendish Thingy

(21,772 posts)
17. And yet...
Mon Dec 8, 2025, 11:34 PM
7 hrs ago

This one absolute truth remains:

Trump is not omnipotent, and the states and the people are not powerless

This same mythological scenario of not seating Dem representatives has been floated many times- in 2019, 2021, 2025…

It’s never happened, despite so many being certain it would.

VMA131Marine

(5,136 posts)
8. Exactly however
Mon Dec 8, 2025, 08:42 PM
10 hrs ago

the Senate is different because 2/3rds of the members are retained at each election and members are sworn in by the VP. It would be easier for the Senate to pull off something like this.

H2O Man

(78,405 posts)
21. But what if
Mon Dec 8, 2025, 11:47 PM
6 hrs ago

it starts raining old television sets and stoves? I mean, it could happen, right? Gosh, this is overwhelming.





Note: Thank you for providing the actual answer to the OP.

Fiendish Thingy

(21,772 posts)
22. You're welcome
Mon Dec 8, 2025, 11:50 PM
6 hrs ago

It’s depressingly funny how so many refuse to believe how things actually work, and assume whatever they can imagine will become reality.

H2O Man

(78,405 posts)
23. There are times
Mon Dec 8, 2025, 11:59 PM
6 hrs ago

when I watch court hearings involving "sovereign citizens," a species that anthropologists think is closely related to q-anoners. They are convinced they "know," but are actually the definition of a group delusion on a foundation of ignorance. And these are a sub-group of those who are suffering from other strains of ignorance, that make them prone to being exploited. Sometimes, those seeking to exploit try to floast nonsense by those who did not pay attention in 8th grade social studies.

Jack Valentino

(4,162 posts)
12. I will put him into a large crock pot, with
Mon Dec 8, 2025, 10:20 PM
8 hrs ago

a lot of barbecue sauce....


("The secret is in the sauce"---- yes, from the film 'Fried Green Tomatoes' )


Whiskeytide

(4,619 posts)
15. I think it's safe to assume that the Republican controlled...
Mon Dec 8, 2025, 11:03 PM
7 hrs ago

… House will not give up control in the customary manner. I expect there will be multiple efforts on various fronts to expressly or effectively nullify the votes and retain control.

Anyone who says they can’t do it because of some interpretation of the long-standing rules that govern the process hasn’t been paying attention. The law, customs and norms don’t seem to have deterred their agenda so far. They live to flaunt such things.

Fiendish Thingy

(21,772 posts)
19. They don't have a choice
Mon Dec 8, 2025, 11:44 PM
6 hrs ago

Their terms end on the last day of business in 2026.

Period.

You know who’s in charge at the opening of the new congress on January 3, 2027?

The head clerk.

. I expect there will be multiple efforts on various fronts to expressly or effectively nullify the votes and retain control


Remember the 2020 election, and all those lawyers who got disbarred?

That’s not how any of this works.

The states will certify their votes and swat away any nuisance court challenges without breaking a sweat.

Just because you can imagine some vague dystopian scenario without thinking through the details of just exactly how it would be enacted doesn’t mean that scenario could actually happen.
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