Texas sues Georgia, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin to overturn election results News
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Texas sues Georgia, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin to overturn election results

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton filed a complaint with the US Supreme Court Tuesday against the states of Georgia, Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, seeking to overturn their 2020 presidential election results.

Paxton, who has been under indictment for the past five years on felony securities fraud charges, and about whom seven top aides recently wrote a letter accusing him of “improper influence, abuse of office, bribery, and other potential criminal offenses,” has asked the highest court to enjoin the four states’ election results and remand to their legislatures to select presidential electors. His complaint alleges that government officials of the “Defendant States … unconstitutionally revised their state’s [sic] election statutes” without legislative authority. It calls into question the security of mail-in ballots in those states and accuses them of weakening signature verification and witness requirements for ballots cast in the election.

Paxton refers to the “rampant lawlessness” pointed out in “a number of currently pending lawsuits in Defendant States” regarding how the elections were carried out. For example, one of the lawsuits cited by Paxton early in the complaint, Trump v. Benson, alleges that Republican poll watchers in Michigan were not allowed access to canvassing, that late ballots were backdated, and that ballots were duplicated or double counted. That case, however, was voluntarily dismissed by the complainants on November 19. The Associated Press noted last week that of roughly 50 cases brought by President Donald Trump or his allies, more than 30 have either been dropped or dismissed by the courts. Just this week, state and federal courts in Pennsylvania, Nevada, Georgia and Michigan have dismissed or blocked lawsuits seeking to challenge election results.

Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro issued a statement referring to “these continued attacks” as “beyond meritless, beyond reckless,” and “uniquely unserious.” He also noted that elections in the country are not “a pick your own ending novel.” Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel called the suit “a publicity stunt, not a serious legal pleading.” She also said, “Mr. Paxton’s actions are beneath the dignity of the office of Attorney General and the people of the great state of Texas.” Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul tweeted, “I feel sorry for Texans that their tax dollars are being wasted on such a genuinely embarrassing lawsuit,” and said that Wisconsin would “defend against this attack on our democracy.” Georgia Deputy Secretary of State Jordan Fuchs called the lawsuit “false and irresponsible.”

17 other states filed an amicus brief in support of Texas on Wednesday.

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