'In the Fight': More States Stand Behind Texas in SCOTUS Election Lawsuit Fight
Texas brought a huge case to the Supreme Court against the swing states of Georgia, Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin earlier this week, pitting the southern stronghold against a system primed to hand the election to presumptive President-elect Joe Biden.
Although some experts think Texas’ attempt to address “irregularities” is doomed, multiple Republican state attorneys general indicated they plan to join the legal battle as supporters of the Lone Star State.
The attorneys general of Missouri and Arkansas signaled their support of Texas’ lawsuit shortly after the state’s Monday filing with the Supreme Court, while the attorneys general of Louisiana and Indiana said the court should hear the Texas case.
“Election integrity is central to our republic,” Missouri Republican Attorney General Eric Schmitt tweeted Tuesday. “And I will defend it at every turn. As I have in other cases — I will help lead the effort in support of Texas’ [Supreme Court] filing today.”
“Missouri is in the fight.”
Election integrity is central to our republic. And I will defend it at every turn.
As I have in other cases – I will help lead the effort in support of Texas’ #SCOTUS filing today.
Missouri is in the fight. https://t.co/V3aLHrYnOF
— Eric Schmitt (@Eric_Schmitt) December 9, 2020
Schmitt is not alone in sticking up for Texas against the alleged irregularities in critical battleground states, with several of his peers across America expressing similar sentiments.
“After reviewing the motion filed by Texas in the U.S. Supreme Court, I have determined that I will support the motion in all legally appropriate manners,” Arkansas Republican Attorney General Leslie Rutledge wrote on Twitter. “The integrity of our elections is a critical part of our nation and it must be upheld.”
After reviewing the motion filed by Texas in the U.S. Supreme Court, I have determined that I will support the motion in all legally appropriate manners. The integrity of our elections is a critical part of our nation and it must be upheld. https://t.co/NesQz2wVV9 pic.twitter.com/imSokVlq79
— Leslie Rutledge (@AGRutledge) December 8, 2020
Alabama Republican Attorney General Steve Marshall also vowed to secure election integrity, although he said he will wait to see if the Supreme Court grants Texas’ request to bring the case against the four swing states forward before acting in an official capacity.
“The unconstitutional actions and fraudulent votes in other states not only affect the citizens of those states, they affect the citizens of all states — of the entire United States,” Marshall said in a statement. “Every unlawful vote counted, or lawful vote uncounted, debases and dilutes citizens’ free exercise of the franchise.”
Starting to sense a pattern here?
Louisiana refuses to be left out of the fight, and the state’s attorney general released a scorching statement that urged the Supreme Court to consider the Texas motion.
“Only the U.S. Supreme Court can ultimately decide cases of real controversy among the states under our Constitution. That is why the Justices should hear and decide the case which we have joined representing the citizens of Louisiana,” Republican state Attorney General Jeff Landry said. “Furthermore, the U.S. Supreme Court should consider the most recent Texas motion, which contains some of the same arguments.
“Louisiana citizens are damaged if elections in other states were conducted outside the confines of the Constitution while we obeyed the rules.”
And it’s not just southern states itching to support Texas’ Supreme Court battle.
Indiana Republican Attorney General-elect Todd Rokita publicly spoke of the importance of Texas’ case, which revolves around the alleged disenfranchisement of American voters.
“Millions of citizens in Indiana have deep concerns regarding the conduct of the 2020 Presidential election,” Rokita said in a statement, according to the Indianapolis Star. “Deeply rooted in these concerns is the fact that some states appear to have conducted their elections with a disregard to the U.S. Constitution.”
The call for the Supreme Court to hear the lawsuit was echoed by outgoing Indiana Republican Attorney General Curtis Hill, who pleaded with the court in a statement to consider the case and “to do so quickly.”
While the cards may seem stacked against Texas, and by extension President Donald Trump, there’s still no guarantee as to who will sit in the Oval Office come Jan. 20.
As of Wednesday afternoon, 17 states officially filed an amicus brief in support of Texas, including Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Indiana, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, and West Virginia.
If even more states join forces with Texas and these other conservative strongholds, this could very well be a critical legal battle in deciding the 2020 election.
UPDATE, Dec. 9, 2020: This article has been updated to reflect that a total of 17 states had officially filed an amicus brief in support of Texas as of Wednesday afternoon.
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