Arizona GOP lawmaker introduces bill to give Legislature power to toss out election results

[highplainsdem]

Source: NBC

The Republican chair of Arizona's state House Ways and Means Committee introduced a bill Wednesday that would give the Legislature authority to override the secretary of state’s certification of its electoral votes.

GOP Rep. Shawnna Bolick introduced the bill, which rewrites parts of the state's election law, such as sections on election observers and securing and auditing ballots, among other measures.

One section grants the Legislature, which is currently under GOP control, the ability to revoke the secretary of state's certification "by majority vote at any time before the presidential inauguration."

"The legislature may take action pursuant to this subsection without regard to whether the legislature is in regular or special session or has held committee or other hearings on the matter."

-snip-

Read more: https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/politics-news/arizona-gop-lawmaker-introduces-bill-give-legislature-power-toss-out-n1256097

[SheltieLover]

1. Then why have elections?

Take their electoral votes away.

[dalton99a]

6. +1. Republicans want to cancel your vote - it is the ultimate cancel culture

[SheltieLover]

7. Of course they do!

But is this legal?

[NYC Liberal]

15. Constitutionally, they can select their electors however they want

and are not required to hold a popular election at all. However, I do not think allowing the results to be changed after the fact would pass muster. If they want the legislature to pick the electors, they need to do that up front, not just when they don't like the outcome of the election.

[Thekaspervote]

2. I can't think for a moment that will stand a court challenge

[LeftInTX]

12. This part won't

One section grants the Legislature, which is currently under GOP control, the ability to revoke the secretary of state's certification "by majority vote at any time before the presidential inauguration."

The Electoral College meets on December 14th. They can't go against the US Constitution.
However, voiding elections might be constitutional.

[NYC Liberal]

16. I don't know if voiding elections would be.

The Constitution says:

Each State shall appoint, in such Manner as the Legislature thereof may direct, a Number of Electors

That would allow them the legislature to straight up pick the electors. No legal problem there.

However, there is this:

The Congress may determine the Time of chusing the Electors

By law, that day is the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November. If the state holds an election on that day to choose electors, I do not believe the legislature could then choose different electors after that date. They could refuse to "certify" the election results, but that wouldn't mean another slate of electors is automatically chosen.

[Wawannabe]

3. ...

[TomDaisy]

4. so the gerrymandered legislatures elect the president not the voters

[dalton99a]

5. Kick

Now comes state Rep. Shawnna Bolick, R-Phoenix, who has figured out a way to cut through all the fog —basically by eliminating the need for presidential elections.

House Bill 2720 would allow the Legislature to veto your vote.

I am not kidding.

Bolick is proposing that our leaders be allowed to override the state’s certification of election results and appoint presidential electors of their own choosing.

Bolick, who is married to state Supreme Court Justice Clint Bolick, also proposes a variety of other bad ideas in her bill. Chief among them is a provision that judges no longer be allowed to dismiss frivilous election lawsuits.

Instead, judges would have to hold jury trials despite the lack of any actual evidence.

So if some nut wants to sue, claiming that Hugo Chavez jumped out of his grave to rig Venezuelan voting machines to steal Arizona's election from Republicans?

Yep, full-blown jury trial,

https://www.azcentral.com/story/opinion/op-ed/laurieroberts/2021/01/28/arizona-legislator-wants-veto-your-vote-president/4302254001/

[Lonestarblue]

29. I doubt she came up with this plot alone.

This is part of Karl Rove’s latest plot to install Republicans as the permanent majority. I read somewhere recently that he is working with Republican legislatures to change voting rules, especially for mail ballots. I couldn’t find the article, but I think ALEC may be involved as well. The goal is to give Republican-majority legislatures control over the EC electors chosen, regardless of the vote counts. This Arizona action says to me that Republicans are willing to enact laws that could be turned on them with Democrats in control, but they’s confident that they will remain in control. That’s some amazing confidence since Arizona has two Democratic Senators and the state has been turning purple. Do they know something we don’t about how they stay in power?

We need to work really hard over the next year and a half to elect more Democrats at the state level. Arizona will elect a new governor in 2022. Ducey is term limited, so we need a strong candidate. Same here in Texas. Abbott has totally botched the pandemic response. Beto, please run!

[Dan]

8. I remember someone once said....

The Ballot or the Bullet.

[badboy67]

9. Virginia Foxx ?

[Dan]

10. I suspect that you are not a child of the sixties.... :)

Malcolm X.

[mezame]

18. It Was...

..."The Ballot is a powerful as a Bullet"

- Malcolm X

[mezame]

19. Correction

The Vote is as powerful as a Bullet

[Dan]

34. Smiling....

https://www.bing.com/search?q=‘The+ballot+or+the+bullet”&search=&form=QBLH&sp=-1&pq=‘the+ballot+or+the+bullet”&sc=0-26&qs=n&sk=&cvid=FC77361AC57243449DB60D30A90E54FE

[LittleGirl]

11. As an AZ voter, I will let them know what I think about this b.s.

This cannot stand. I thought the GOP was the party of law and order?
They are a cult.

[onetexan]

13. So screw democracy, its election by jury, eh GOP?

[Jon King]

14. I always ask what do they think will happen if they are ever successful in any of this???

What the hell do these GOPers think would happen if they were ever successful in overturning people's votes? There would be riots, their businesses would be destroyed, the entire economy would collapse. The majority would never let it stand without a civil war. The blue states have a huge advantage with 78% of the economic power.

Do they really think they could have overturned PA, WI, GA, AZ, MI? They have kids and grand kids, they have family members and friends who own businesses. I never get what their goal is. Even if they succeed, the entire country would end and be replaced by a war zone and none of their kids get college and all the businesses they own close.

I truly do not get their goal. They all currently have nice lives. Do they think the majority would simply say "oh well" and let an autocratic US exist??

[Roc2020]

24. Was thinking that the whole

Trump tantrum of not conceding. Most of the money are in Democratic states. Did they think the country would just ignore their tactics and the constitution and allow Trump to be president pass 1/20?? i didn't get the endgame at all. Desperation I guess.

[TurboDem]

26. I was thinking the exact same thing just a few days ago.

Even had they succeeded in everything they were trying to do, what exactly was their endgame?

[TeamPooka]

17. The GOP wants to legalize their special brand of Fascism.

[mezame]

20. Digging Their Own Grave Much?

and in a hurry to do so; they've upgraded to steam shovels and jack hammers to expedite their burials. Morans, all of them.

[apnu]

23. Indeed, AZ is purple now, trending blue.

They pass this and lose the state legislature as they are destined to do right now?

Republicans aren't good at thinking very far down the road.

Welcome to DU!

[mezame]

27. Relieved To Be Engaged Again

thanks for the welcome!

The Blue Tsunami is HERE!

[Vinca]

21. Does it have an "except when Democrats are in power" clause?

[twodogsbarking]

22. Introduce a bill to throw out

anyone who introduces a bill like this.

[malthaussen]

25. Another case of a legislator who failed Civics 101.

Legislation cannot override the Constitution, my dear.

-- Mal

[cstanleytech]

28. I would say SCOTUS would throw such a law out but with the current makeup of the court

I would not be willing to wager on that.

[pwb]

30. Another republican clown car freak.

Minority republican republicans is what we should call them.

[lonely bird]

31. Time to find out if the federal government can kick states out of the Union.

[Marthe48]

32. Does this fascist know how fascist her bill is?

Here's a conspiracy theory for the q anon: republican fascists are working in every level of government to destroy free and fair elections and overthrow democracy. I guess they don't like real conspiracies.

[Nitram]

33. Doesn't this require an amendment to the state constitution?