In a recent interview, Republican Congressman Dan Crenshaw of Texas addressed concerns about comments made by Republican conference chair Elise Stefanik regarding the certification of electoral votes on January 6, 2021. Stefanik expressed that, if she were vice president at the time, she would have rejected electoral votes. Crenshaw, a member of the House Intelligence Committee and a retired Navy SEAL, did not express worry about Stefanik potentially becoming Donald Trump's running mate, as he believed her claims to be incorrect.
Crenshaw emphasized that the Constitution grants no power to the vice president to decertify an election. He noted that the word 'certify' does not even appear in the Constitution. Crenshaw pointed out that even former Vice President Mike Pence, who had read and interpreted the Constitution, determined that he had no authority to decertify the election results. Crenshaw described the idea that Congress has the power to certify or decertify an election as completely erroneous, emphasizing that both Democrats and Republicans have misinterpreted the Constitution in such matters over the years.
