President Trump said in a statement late on Tuesday that he and Vice President Mike Pence are “totally in agreement” about the vice president’s authority over the Electoral college count, after several media outlets reported that Pence told Trump that he has no power to alter election results.
The New York Times and other media reported on Tuesday that Pence told Trump that he does not believe he has the power to block Congressional certification of President-elect Joe Biden’s victory. On Tuesday night, Trump called the report “fake news”.
Mr Trump, in a statement released by the Trump campaign, stated that he and Pence are on the same page. Pence did not issue such a statement independently.
“The New York Times report on the comments that Vice President Pence allegedly made to me today is false news. He never said that. The Vice President and I are in complete agreement that the Vice President has the power to act, “Trump said in the statement. “Our vice president has several options under the United States Constitution. He can cancel certification of results or send them back to states for change and certification. He can also cancel certification of illegal and corrupt results and send them to the House of Representatives by a vote for a state tabulation. “
As vice president and president of the Senate, Pence has the authority only to preside over proceedings. He has no authority to alter the results in Mr. Trump’s favor.
The previous Tuesday, Trump tweeted a false claim that “the vice president has the power to reject fraudulently chosen voters.”
Trump hinted that he hoped Pence would help on Monday when he held a rally for Senator Kelly Loeffler and David Perdue.
“I hope Mike Pence will pass us by,” Trump said Monday night. He also tweeted on Tuesday that the vice president “has the power to reject fraudulently chosen voters”. There is no evidence that voters were chosen fraudulently, and the 12th Amendment suggests that Pence’s powers are indeed more ceremonial. He “must, in the presence of the Senate and the House of Representatives, open all certificates and votes will then be counted.”
This is a developing story and will be updated.