fbpx
 

WASHINGTON — Rep. Markwayne Mullin (Cherokee), who represents Oklahoma’s 2nd congressional district in Congress, signed his name to an amicus brief supporting the Texas Attorney General’s lawsuit against four battleground states that supported President-elect Biden for president in the 2020 presidential election.

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton wants the U.S. Supreme Court to hear the case. The lawsuit seeks to delay certification of presidential electors in Pennsylvania, Georgia, Michigan, and Wisconsin. 

UPDATE: The U.S. Supreme Court on Friday evening denied Texas Attorney General's attempt to sue the four states. 

The lawsuit was brought by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton and is now supported by 16 Republican attorney generals from 17 other states. Ten of the state attorney generals met with Trump for lunch at the White House on Thursday.

Some 106 members of Congress, all Republicans signed on the amicus brief. Some 90 Republicans did not sign the amicus brief.

“The American people must have faith in our election system and deserve certainty regarding the 2020 elections,” Mullin said. “Fair and honest elections are a pillar of our democracy and this brief asks the Supreme Court to fully consider the issues that have been seen in the states. We must all remain committed to protecting the integrity of our democracy and ensuring the will of the people succeeds.”

Mullin is one of four American Indians serving in the 116th Congress. The other Republican American Indian in Congress, Rep. Tom Cole (R-OK), did not sign the amicus brief.

The two other American Indians in Congress are Democrats. Rep. Deb Haaland (D-NM), and Rep. Shaice Davids (D-KS) are happy with the Biden victory.

The amicus brief was authored by Rep. Mike Johnson (R-LA) and reportedly urged by Trump in a last-ditch effort to overturn the presidential election. All states have certified their votes and states’ representatives will vote on Monday, December 14, in the electoral college. The tabulations from the votes show Biden won 306 electoral college votes to 232 for Trump.

"The simple objective of our brief is to affirm for the court (and our constituents back home) our serious concerns with the integrity of our election system," Johnson wrote in an email to his fellow members of Congress. "We are not seeking to independently litigate the particular allegations of fraud in our brief (this is not our place as amici). We will merely state our belief that the broad scope of the various allegations and irregularities in the subject states merits careful, timely review by the Supreme Court."

Most legal scholars maintain the lawsuit is without merit and think the Supreme Court will not accept the case.

If the Supreme Court accepts the lawsuit and rules in its favor, it would allow for unprecedented meddling from one state to other states’ affairs.

The only Republican member of Congress from Texas to oppose the lawsuit, Rep. Chip Roy said explained his opposition by saying the case "a dangerous violation of federalism and sets a precedent to have one state asking federal courts to police the voting procedures of other states."

"I cannot support an effort that will almost certainly fail on grounds of standing and is inconsistent with my beliefs about protecting Texas sovereignty from the meddling of other states," Roy said.

Sen. Mitt Romney (R-UT), the Republican Party’s 2012 presidential nominee, called the lawsuit “simply madness.”

More Stories Like This

MMIP Red Dress Installation Vandalized in Alaska
NCAI Mid Year Underway on Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Homelands
Native News Weekly (June 3, 2023): D.C. Briefs
House Passes Bipartisan Debt Ceiling Deal; How Native American Members of Congress Voted
History Made as First Navajo Appointed U.S. Federal Judge in California

Native News is free to read.

We hope you enjoyed the story you've just read. For the past dozen years, we’ve covered the most important news stories that are usually overlooked by other media. From the protests at Standing Rock and the rise of the American Indian Movement (AIM), to the ongoing epidemic of Murdered and Missing Indigenous People (MMIP) and the past-due reckoning related to assimilation, cultural genocide and Indian Boarding Schools.

Our news is free for everyone to read, but it is not free to produce. That’s why we’re asking you to make a donation to help support our efforts. Any contribution — big or small — helps.  Most readers donate between $10 and $25 to help us cover the costs of salaries, travel and maintaining our digital platforms. If you’re in a position to do so, we ask you to consider making a recurring donation of $12 per month to join the Founder's Circle. All donations help us remain a force for change in Indian Country and tell the stories that are so often ignored, erased or overlooked.

Donate to Native News Online today and support independent Indigenous journalism. Thank you. 

About The Author
Native News Online Staff
Author: Native News Online StaffEmail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Native News Online is one of the most-read publications covering Indian Country and the news that matters to American Indians, Alaska Natives and other Indigenous people. Reach out to us at [email protected].