Democrats could refuse to seat North Carolina Republican, Hoyer says

[DonViejo]

Source: The Washington Post



By Mike DeBonis December 4 at 12:15 PM

The incoming House majority leader said Democrats might refuse to seat a North Carolina Republican next year unless and until “substantial” questions about the integrity of his election are resolved.

Rep. Steny H. Hoyer (D-Md.), the current minority whip, made the comments to reporters Tuesday as North Carolina election officials investigate whether an operative hired by Republican candidate Mark Harris illegally collected incomplete ballots from voters.

The probe has delayed the certification of Harris’s narrow victory in North Carolina’s 9th Congressional District, and the state officials could decide to call for a new election. Harris and Democrat Dan McCready are separated by 905 votes, according to unofficial returns. But Hoyer’s comments throw into doubt whether, if Harris’s win is ultimately certified, he would be sworn in as a member.

“If there is what appears to be a very substantial question on the integrity of the election, clearly we would oppose Mr. Harris being seated until that is resolved,” Hoyer said Tuesday.

Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/powerpost/democrats-could-refuse-to-seat-north-carolina-republican-hoyer-says/2018/12/04/71fe2b12-f7e3-11e8-863c-9e2f864d47e7_story.html

[underpants]

1. That's what I'm talking about

of course covering voter suppression or fraud in this case let alone gerrymandering is clearly not a priority for the MSM.

[beachbum bob]

2. House democrats must make this 1 of their top 5 hearings as the GOP

corruption is so in your face in a North Carolina.

[DemocracyMouse]

18. And House Dems must emulate this forthright rhetoric:

This is the new forthright speech every Dem should use. Words like “clearly” and “of course” and “as patriots we must” etc.

This is good. This is solid. This is effective and progressive:

“...clearly we would oppose Mr. Harris being seated until that is resolved“

[beachbum bob]

21. Totally agree, little hope for DOJ to look into this and can't rely

At all. So house Dems must. The nature of this fraud is so in your face.

[lilactime]

3. Happy to hear this.

[onetexan]

4. Thank you Rep Hoyer, hit 'em where it hurts

[ancianita]

5. Go, Hard Ball Hoyer!

[NCDawg]

6. Sad,....

Gerrymandered up the waZoo, elections reek of fraud and intimidation from local, to state to federal! But it's just another day in the TarHeel State!!!

[SCantiGOP]

7. Definition of the slippery slope

The race hasn't been certified yet. If it is, they need to seat the guy.
Remember the 60 vote requirement to overcome a filibuster on SCOTUS nominations that Reid scrapped? Remember Kavanaugh coming back to bite us in the ass?
Would everyone here be OK with the GOP refusing to seat Dems because of "massive voter fraud" the next time they are in the majority?

This is a tool that should be used very carefully and only when public opinion is clearly on your side, not in today's environment.

[Hulk]

12. If Harry hadn't scrapped it....do you honestly think mcTurtlehead wouldn't have by now?

I think it was wrong to screw with it, but after watching what is currently going on in Wisconsin and Michigan, these sons-of-bitches are not going to stop with their manipulation and cheating tactics. I'm pretty certain mr NOchin would have changed the rules long ago....about the time the repuKKKes took control on the Senate.

[NewJeffCT]

16. Reid did not scrap the filibuster for SCOTUS

He did it for other judges because of unprecedented GOP obstruction, but specifically left out the Supreme Court.

[Tiggeroshii]

17. You are right, but I think their point still holds in the context of a slippery slope

fwiw

That being said it would be hard to justify not seating a congressman after the state has certified them. It would take an exceptional case for a judge not to order them seated.

[littlemissmartypants]

8. Gerrymandering sucks.

ETA Link: https://goo.gl/images/HF89Xa

[Scruffy1]

9. He is wrong.

Powel versus McCormack. They can't refuse to seat him but can expel him with a 2/3 vote.

[Sgent]

13. That case was about a different issue

The existing house never questioned the results of the election itself, but refused to seat him due to scandal.

The Constitution designates the House as the final arbiter of all elections for House members. The house can seat the challenger, call for a new elelection, etc. -- the last happened in 1985.

See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Federal_Contested_Elections_Act

[BlueIdaho]

22. Great info, thanks! nt.

[calimary]

10. Do it! Don't just threaten and then cave!

THIS is what we fought so hard and worked our tails off for almost two full years to set up.

No tough talk and that’s all. Tough action too!

[Hulk]

11. They absolutely should refuse!!

I can't believe this is even going forward. With what I have read, this sounds like a classic example of voter fraud and tampering, and unfortunately, it needs to be a "do over". Isn't this why we have laws in place?? Good Lord...this is nuts!!

[elmac]

14. Dems need to stick together and fight, not work with, the fascist party

whatever it takes, whatever the pain it causes, it must be done.

[turbinetree]

15. Now there are two woman that have said this happened...............

https://www.wsoctv.com/news/local/second-woman-claims-she-was-paid-to-pick-up-ballots-in-us-house-district-9-race/883177036


https://www.wsoctv.com/news/local/channel-9-uncovers-similarities-between-absentee-ballots-in-us-house-district-9-race/882660808

[ailsagirl]

19. Good!!

[red dog 1]

20. Good for Rep. Hoyer!

[Pepsidog]

23. Ok we have heard all kinds of threats of action or inaction in the past. Follow through, don't cave

[Judi Lynn]

24. Over a thousand absentee ballots possibly destroyed in controversial North Carolina House race: repo

BY TAL AXELROD - 12/05/18 08:46 PM EST

Over a thousand absentee ballots from likely Democratic voters may have been destroyed in the race for North Carolina's 9th Congressional District last month as allegations of fraud on behalf of the Republican candidate mount.

“You’re looking at several thousand, possibly 2,000 absentee ballot requests from this most recent election. About 40 percent of those, it appears, at this point may not have been returned,” Wake County District Attorney Lorrin Freeman told CNN.

The report comes after Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-Va.), the vice ranking member on the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, called for an emergency hearing regarding allegations of voter fraud.

Several voters have come forward since Election Day with claims that their uncompleted absentee ballots were illegally collected, and it remains unclear if their votes were counted. One woman on Monday claimed to have been paid by a Republican operative to collect ballots.

More:
https://thehill.com/homenews/house/419979-over-a-thousand-absentee-ballots-possibly-destroyed-in-controversial-north

[DeminPennswoods]

25. This was discussed last night on MSNBC,

Hayes' show I think.

There are two scenarios. If the NC state board of elections calls for a new election, it will just be a re-run of the November election with the same 3 candidates on the ballot, D, R and L.

If the House refuses to seat Harris, that will cause a special election that would also mean party primaries. Since it appears Harris also cheated in the primary where he ousted the incumbent R, it's possible Harris would not even be the R nominee in any special election.

[Bengus81]

26. Great!! That election needs to be held again,don't accept any "results" from this sham

[Cha]

27. Yeah, they want to cheat.. thank Goodness

we have a Democratic Blue Wave to stop their cheating asses by any means possible.

[maxrandb]

28. They should refuse to seat Retrumplicans from Michigan and Wisconsin as well

They obviously don't believe in democracy, so they should not be seated.