Brian Williams, an MSNBC anchor, hit hard on congressional Republicans that supports a Texas lawsuit to invalidate the election results of several states, saying “these are grown-ass men and women,” reports The Hill.
The Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton (R) formed a lawsuit that seeks to avoid the certification of votes from Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Michigan and Georgia, arguing the states’ mail-in voting efforts during the pandemic were unconstitutional. The lawsuit was signed this week by attorneys general from 18 other red states.
An amicus curiae brief was signed by more than 100 House Republicans in support of the lawsuit, claiming that “unconstitutional irregularities involved in the 2020 presidential election cast doubt upon its outcome and the integrity of the American system of elections.”
Williams discussed the brief with GOP strategist Mike Murphy, who was saying that it was “a stain on the Republican Party,” and the part when Murphy cited Rep. Dan Crenshaw, saying the Texas Republican “knows better.”
“Some of those other congressmen do, but they let their narrow political ambition and their gutless fear of Donald Trump run wild, and now they’re getting close to the treason business. It is unthinkable to me,” said Murphy.
Crenshaw’s name on the brief was also a surprise for Williams.
“Forgive me my French, these are grown-ass men and women, these are elected Republican representatives. I have never seen people so scared of an individual in my lifetime,” said the anchor.
On the other hand, Murphy said that the Republican lawmakers have “declared war on the institution of democracy.”
“It is massively irresponsible beyond anything you could expect, and again, people like Dan Crenshaw who served the country well early in their careers, I don’t know how they can look in the mirror right now,” said Murphy.
Rep. Jim Jordan (Ohio), the top Republican on the Judiciary Committee; Steve Scalise (La), Minority Whip; Rep. Andy Biggs (Ariz.), the chair of the conservative Freedom Caucus; and the incoming Republican Study Committee chairman Jim Banks (Ind.), are among the other key Republicans who signed the brief.
Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.), House Minority Leader and top ally of President Trump, did not sign the brief and declined to comment when asked if he supports the Texas lawsuit.
“The president has a right for every legal challenge to be heard. He has the right to go to the Supreme Court with it, yes,” said McCarthy.
The lawsuit’s legal standing is questioned, and that caused tensions within the GOP.
It is inappropriate for states to interfere in laws of other states, said the former Texas Supreme Court justice, Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas).
“I do not understand the legal theory. I don’t want other states having a chance to change Texas la based on a similar effort. If you can do it for the election, you can do it if somebody wanted challenge, for example, Texas law on the Second Amendment,” Cornyn said.
Other Texas Republicans, among whom Reps, Chip Roy and Kay Granger, publicly broke with Paxton on the lawsuit.
According to The New York Times, Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), who served as solicitor general of Texas from 2003 to 2008, was asked by Trump Tuesday night if he would be willing to present oral arguments on behalf of Texas and other states to the Supreme Court and he agreed.
Be the first to comment