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A2 UP FRONT
Tuesday 5 January 2021

Washington braces for intense opening to a pivotal year

nounce additional Cabinet tory, have vouched for the nominee in 2012 who has
picks soon in a sign that integrity of the elections broken with his party be-
he’s preparing to assume in their states. Nearly all fore, called the tactic an
the presidency on Jan. 20. the legal challenges from “egregious ploy” that “may
But the holiday weekend Trump and his allies have enhance the political am-
demonstrated some of the been dismissed by judges, bition of some, but danger-
challenges ahead. including two tossed by ously threatens our Demo-
In a sign of the hostility the Supreme Court, where cratic Republic.” Pennsyl-
coursing through American three Trump-nominated jus- vania Republican Sen. Pat
politics, vandals targeted tices preside. Toomey, who is retiring,
the homes of congressio- Yet following the presi- called out Cruz by name
nal leaders from both par- dent’s lead, Texas Sen. Ted and said the Texan and
ties. Republican Senate Cruz announced a coali- other fellow Republican
Majority Leader Mitch Mc- tion of 11 senators and sen- senators were undermining
Connell’s door in Kentucky ators-elect who will join an “a fundamental, defining
In this Monday, Dec. 14, 2020, file photo, Georgia Secretary of was spray painted with effort to attempt to subvert feature” of American de-
State Brad Raffensperger speaks during a news conference in derogatory phrases while American voters during mocracy. Sen. Tom Cotton,
Atlanta. someone left graffiti, a pig’s Electoral College certifica- an Arkansas Republican,
Associated Press head and fake blood at tion, joining House Repub- said he opposed the idea
By WILL WEISSERT overturn Biden’s win there, the San Francisco home of licans who have already of Congress overturning the
Associated Press has suggested he may Democratic House Speaker pledged similar. results of the Electoral Col-
REHOBOTH BEACH, Del. make some type of ap- Nancy Pelosi. Wednesday’s congressio- lege and thus exceeding
(AP) — The tumult of 2020 pearance at demonstra- And Trump’s Saturday nal count is the final step its power and establishing
isn’t over yet. tions expected in Washing- conversation with Geor- in reaffirming Biden’s win, “unwise precedents.”
The opening week of the ton on Wednesday. Some gia Secretary of State Brad after the Electoral College The moment is especially
new year will be dominat- of the protesters who have Raffensperger, a fellow Re- officially elected him 306- awkward for Vice President
ed by a collision of events indicated they will be in the publican, was an unprec- 232 last month. That’s the Mike Pence. In his role as
that will test America’s city have ties to white su- edented effort by a sitting same margin Trump won president of the Senate,
commitment to democ- premacy. president to pressure a by in 2016. he presides over Wednes-
racy, shape President-elect Even in a capital that has state official to reverse the The constitutionally re- day’s proceedings and will
Joe Biden’s incoming ad- become somewhat ac- outcome of an election. quired meeting is normally ultimately declare Biden’s
ministration and determine customed to the chaos of Trump pressed Raffens- a formality. Yet Cruz and the victory.
the future of the Republi- the Trump era, the tension berger to “find” enough other Republicans, some Previous vice presidents,
can Party. heading into this week is votes for him to win. of whom have their own including Richard Nixon
It begins on Tuesday with particularly acute. The The Associated Press ob- White House ambitions, say and Al Gore, have played
two runoff elections in repercussions could be tained the full audio of they’ll vote against certain similar roles after tough
Georgia that will decide long-lasting, influencing Trump’s conversation with state electors unless Con- presidential campaigns.
control of the Senate. the course of Biden’s ad- Georgia officials from a gress appoints a commis- But Pence, who may seek
Biden’s ability to easily set ministration and ultimately person on the call. The AP sion to immediately audit the White House in 2024,
up his Cabinet and enact the American resolve to has a policy of not amplify- the election results. is seeking to avoid anger-
a legislative agenda hing- peacefully transfer power ing disinformation and un- Republicans won’t suc- ing Trump and his base.
es on Democrats capturing from one party to another. proven allegations. The AP ceed in blocking the re- He signaled support for the
both seats. “We will be reading about will be posting the full audio sults. Challenges would GOP’s certification chal-
The focus shifts to Washing- this in history books for de- as it annotates a transcript have to be passed by the lenge over the weekend.
ton on Wednesday, where cades,” said Democratic with fact check material. full Senate and Democrat- GOP strategist Joe Brettell
Congress is set to certify strategist Andrew Feldman Raffensberger rebuffed controlled House. But sim- said that while challeng-
Biden’s victory in the Elec- who works with labor and Trump’s request and ply pledging to do so shows ing Electoral College certi-
toral College. The typically progressive organizations. Biden’s victory in Georgia there are few boundaries fication will ultimately fail, it
procedural afterthought is “Anyone who thought that — and other states that for prominent Republicans could serve to energize the
now a battle as some Re- Trump would cede control propelled him to victory — aiming to demonstrate loy- Republican base in Geor-
publicans, eager to satisfy of the Republican Party is not in doubt. alty to Trump. gia ahead of Tuesday’s
President Donald Trump’s post-an election loss is just There was no widespread The last-ditch effort could elections.
most loyal supporters, say dead wrong. This is still very fraud in the election, which impress Trump’s base, a But “there has been, over
they won’t certify the re- much, and I think will con- a range of election officials boost for Cruz and other and over, calculation by
sults of a free and fair elec- tinue to be, Trump’s GOP.” across the country, as well Republicans thought to be far right and tea party-
tion. Others in the GOP are Biden spent the weekend as Trump’s former attorney preparing 2024 presiden- elected folks that they can
warning that such moves at his vacation house on general, William Barr, have tial runs. It’s also provoking somehow control or bring
are destructive. the Delaware coast and confirmed. Republican a heated battle within the the base within their grasp”
Trump, who spent part of has largely shrugged off governors in Arizona and GOP. only to see such efforts take
the weekend pleading with concerns about the com- Georgia, key battleground Utah Sen. Mitt Romney, the on lives of their own, he
Georgia’s election chief to ing week. He plans to an- states crucial to Biden’s vic- Republican presidential said. q