Ahead of Congress’s certification of the Electoral College vote today, Senator Marion Michael Rounds wins himself the Gutless Wonder Award with this mealy-mouthed missive on where he stands on doing his patriotic duty to certify the election and stand against the craven panderers of his party who would betray the voters and the Constitution to pander to Donald Trump:
Tomorrow’s vote will be one of the most consequential votes I’ll likely take as a U.S. Senator.
If you’ve noticed, I have not joined the chorus of those for or against an objection. Today, those objections do not exist, they have not been shared, and there’s literally nothing to consider until we have a chance to hear the arguments for and against. The bottom line is that I’m keeping an open mind and I look forward to seeing the evidence to support the objections that are being proposed. Ultimately, the Constitution, not political expediency, will guide my decision making.
I wholeheartedly support an independent investigation into the 2020 election. Since the current approach from several of my Republican colleagues requires the Democrat-controlled House to agree with them, it is dead on arrival. I’m interested in restoring faith, certainty and transparency for the American voter. And, unless we get to the bottom of these allegations, I fear Americans’ faith in our electoral process is in great jeopardy [Senator. M. Michael Rounds, press release, posted by KELO Radio, 2021.01.05].
Senator Rounds takes the same seemingly safe path as Senator Thune, avoiding the utter falsity and danger of the claims Trumpists are making to steal the election and simply counting heads and saying Electoral College objections don’t have the votes to fly in Congress. But apparently terror-stricken by the threats Thune drew from Trump for that milquetoasty observation, Senator Rounds contorts himself into the sophist claim that there is nothing on which to take a position, even though the issue is clear and present:
President-Elect Joe Biden won the popular vote and the Electoral College. There is no evidence of any widespread voter fraud or election irregularities that cast doubt on that outcome. Several Republican Senators nonetheless plan to try to overturn those votes and make Donald Trump an unelected President for four more years. Do you support that effort to overturn the popular vote and the Electoral College?
That question is too hard for Rounds to answer. Standing for plain facts and the clearly expressed will of the people and the Constitutional action of the Electoral College demands too much courage for a Senator who won’t face reëlection until 2026. All he can do is blather in lazy and dangerous relativism about keeping an open mind and waiting to view evidence, even there will be no new arguments or evidence presented today, even though all the “evidence” and arguments have already been presented and laughed out of court, even though we are under no obligation to keep an open mind for baseless conspiracy theories and patently false and delusional allegations, even though we all know darn well who won the election.
The jeopardy posed to our faith in the electoral process comes largely from elected officials like you, Mike, who signal that you are willing to ignore our fair and free vote and listen with an open mind to lies and conspiracy theories fabricated to pander to one desperate yet powerful loser.
Drop the baloney, Mike. Rediscover your guts. Speak the plain truth: Joe Biden is the duly elected next President of the United States. The election was not rigged. The only election thieves are Trump and his hangers-on. Make today’s vote the pro forma vote it should be. Certify the Electoral College vote and its honest expression of the will of the people, and let’s get Congress back to solving real problems.
Update 07:11 CST: Meanwhile, for actual political courage, turn to Georgia:
I don’t understand how truth would ever jeopardize the country…. We’re standing on the facts, we’re standing on the truth. And so we have the numbers here. You want to come over here to our office, come on by [Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, replying to Fox News host Sandra Smith, interview as reported in David Edwards, “Raffensperger Combats Fox News Host on Trump Tape: ‘I don’t Understand How Truth Would Jeopardize the Country’,” Raw Story, 2021.01.05].
Where was this “the Constitution, not political expediency, will guide my decision making.” when President Obama nominated Merrick Garland?
Where was this “I’m keeping an open mind and I look forward to seeing the evidence to support the objections that are being proposed” during President Trumps Impeachment sentencing?
Where was this “I’m interested in restoring faith, certainty and transparency for the American voter. And, unless we get to the bottom of these allegations, I fear Americans’ faith in our electoral process is in great jeopardy” during the investigation into Russian meddling in the last Presidential election.
Situational, partisan, ethics on display here couched in the language of fairness. Is the assumption that there Is no national memory or that none of what has gone before matters?
Is Rounds their just taking orders and drawing a tax payer check, and waiting to draw that big pension.I never want to hear politicians about how bad the deficit is when they give huge tax breaks to the one percent in a booming economy not to smart.Is the half dusty going to say anything or set in the corner.
Gosh, since Biden won easily and the trumpeter lies about his loss what is a poor Round boy to do? Its too Thune to tell since they are both in a minority position now with an angry leader of the party to primary them. There no longer is a GOP, its the trump party now and he is pissed. So the blue wave turned into trinkle down election. It still passed power to the Democrats and it’s what you lying Republicans deserve.
SO NOW SMILEY WANTS TO HEAR ARGUMENTS???? Where was this gelatinous mass during impeachment hearings? I actually remember him saying he DID NOT want to hear any evidence at that time. I am totally disgusted with SD’s trio of reps. We have Senator Speak Nothing, Senator Hear/See Nothing and Dusty, who NOW doesn’t want to “pack the courts.” Really, this is the best SD can do? Evidently! @#%^&*!
Consider the lunacy of this argument:
1. President with history of claiming fraud anytime he loses a state (see Cruz in Iowa, 2016) claims fraud without evidence.
2. President and his surrogates push the message out across every available medium to fervent base
3. Base believes it
4. Senators cites this belief as evidence of something being amiss
What planet are we on?
Happy 3 Kings Day, Feliz dia de reyes!! The Maji bought America a huge gift courtesy of Georgia. A lump of rubbish for the rounds trumpian party and a new beginning for the soul of America. No one cares what rounds says, he is now irrelevant. Democrats will take the senate and he can just have some EB5 cheese with his whine.
The economy just go the boost it needed to overcome this trump/republican pandemic for the beginning of a very powerful economic expansion. Yes Virginia, even here in South Dakota, in spite of the 27 traitors, we shall see progress.
Problem solvers where is the half dusty. pretty quiet there.Dusty please no more lip service.Their now will soon be a Majority in both houses please do not be an obstructionist like Thune, was work for the people .Wages are not high in this state.
We must remember that for millions of Americans, in their minds, the election was stolen they have a completely different reality. A false one, they’ve been brainwashed, but regardless the circumstances are what they are, so slightly placating this radicalized element in this tinderbox moment might be acceptable. A group chanted traitor at Mitt Romney on a plane we must avoid violence and as Trump’s power wanes sheepish Republicans will find their voice but for the sake of the country this is not the time to poke at the bear, but slowly, step by step diffuse a situation that could otherwise lead to civil unrest or worse.
If Rounds actually means to follow his duty, to adhere to the constitution, then he must certify the results of the election. His weak, pandering statement does not uphold democracy. The facts are inescapable. Each state has certified its results. This includes Republican officials in contested states who certified the election results as true and correct. The electoral college has voted and certified the electoral votes of the states. No recount has changed the election results, even recounts in Republican controlled states. State courts of all levels have heard and rejected lawsuits brought on behalf of Trump. Federal courts of all levels, including the U.S. Supreme Court, have rejected nearly all of the cases brought by Trump. This includes several rulings by Trump appointed judges. (A remaining case deals with votes received in Pennsylvania after election day, and even if those votes are tossed, Biden still wins Pennsylvania by many thousand votes.) If Rounds is a true conservative, who believes in a limited federal government, then objecting to certification of the Electoral College vote is a violation of conservative principles. To object is to say that congress refuses to: (1) follow the Constitution, (2) follow the law, (3) give proper deference to the states and (4) accept the legitimacy of multiple court decisions against Trump. What could be more anti-conservative, and more importantly, anti-democracy?
FWIW – Rounds, Thune and Johnson are all being viciously attacked on their FB pages by Trumpist radicals for NOT supporting the coup. It sounds like they ARE LOSING A LOT OF THEIR VOTERS’ support as most of the comments include an “I will never vote for any of you again” statement.
Richard, do you think a MAGA Republican can primary out one or more of the mainstream GOP trio we have now? Does that MAGA rage for not following the Trump cult carry any more weight than that Democrat rage for following the Trump cult?
How many voters would Rounds/Thune/Johnson have to lose — actually lose — before they become politically vulnerable? I say all three have a healthy margin to play with.
It should be fun to watch the Pat Powers of the world attempt to control the monster they have helped create. You all deserve the John Dales, whose craziness you fomented in an attempt to cobble together a coalition big enough to maintain power. Enjoy yourselves, fellas. You earned this.
Fascists are in the street battling Antifa (uniformed police). What a fitting end to the rot called trump and his supporters. Rounds proves he is nothing but a fascist, pure and simple.
If Rounds was really a senator, he would demand the vaccine be produced and delivered with more urgency, right now. Instead, he continues to be an empty suit blathering like a drunk on a binge, or, a loser.
“Drop the baloney, Mike. Rediscover your guts,” says Cory.
I have searched the records. I have replayed my own conversations with the candidate-for-governor-at-the-time Smilin’ Mike. I have not been able to turn over a single turd with a sign of a gut under it.
Here is a slap in magat’s faces…. https://www.politico.com/news/2021/01/06/biden-to-tap-merrick-garland-for-attorney-general-455410
Hope he has a long, vindictive memory of why everyone should hate magats.
What are the chances drumpf accepts electoral count?
Pence has released a letter stating that his job re: the electoral college is merely ceremonial. This was released while Trump was ranting about what Pence should do. The hits just keep on coming.
https://twitter.com/ElijahSchaffer/status/1346881968819105792?fbclid=IwAR2vZ5YGpgYScjgWypdI7lts6rIVlQ70DsZH81gZik2AfrFKNRR2x2TJtlM
Trump supporters are storming the Capitol Building. This is what crossing the rubicon looks like, folks.
Hap, how much sympathy am I morally obliged to extend to equivocators like Mike rounds who won’t stand up for truth, and to millions of people who have willfully bought into a lie? How much patience must I have with people who deliberately choose authoritarianism over democracy? How much compromise must I make with such traitors to our constitutional values?
And now the Senate is being recessed to evacuate. I truly hope it was worth it to not stand up and say something, Mr. Rounds.
Absolute Legend: Trump Walks Away From Republican Party Without Even Looking Back At Explosion
https://babylonbee.com/news/absolute-legend-trump-walks-away-from-republican-party-without-even-looking-back-at-explosion
Shots fired into the house chamber? No clarity on who did the shooting or what was shot:
Can we blame Kristi for the blackout of news on Covid vaccine for SD oldsters? I have talked to Avera healthcare system, and several doctors’ offices, they known nothing except “Spring of 2021”. I keep seeing these trucks leaving for states, loaded with vaccine. Either they’re not going to all states, or they’re blacking out the news if there’s any in SD. I get the same answer from everyone “nothing until spring of 2021, for anyone”. Bah Humbug.
In the meantime, protesters have breached the Senate Floor in D.C.
The president needs to call the protest off. But he’s uncharacteristically silent. Utterly despicable. We have to know that a great many of these “protesters” are armed.
Considering what is happening in DC today, Rounds should be removed from office. Is this not the saddest day ever in the United States?
The whole world is watching our shame man. Thanks rounds/thune/gnoem. The world knows now what a danger we have had under republican rule. Soon we will be free at last.
Protesters are breaking the windows in the capitol and entering the building. A woman is in critical condition on the Capitol grounds after being shot. I’m watching CNN
The people storming the Capitol are not “protestors.” They’re a fascist mob engaged in riot and sedition, and you can be damn sure the media and law enforcement would be treating them very differently if they supported BLM.
Robin Friday, keloland.com/news has daily update that might help….
Day-to-day results
Wednesday, January 6
Six new COVID-19 deaths were announced as active coronavirus cases increased by more than 300 in Wednesday’s update from the South Dakota Department of Health.
The death toll is now at 1,519. The new deaths were four men and two women in the following age ranges: 60 -69 (1); 70 -79 (3); 80+ (2).
On Wednesday, 607 new total coronavirus cases were announced bringing the state’s total case count to 101,684, up from Tuesday (101,076). Total recovered cases are now at 93,778, up from Tuesday (93,529).
Active cases are now at 6,387, up from Tuesday (6,034).
Current hospitalizations are at 264, down from Tuesday (270). Total hospitalizations are at 5,805, up from Tuesday (5,764).
Total persons negative is now at 277,357, up from Tuesday (276,286).
There were 1,678 new persons tested reported on Wednesday. Wednesday’s new person tested positivity rate is 36%.
The latest 7-day all test positivity rate reported by the DOH, is 15.8%. The DOH calculates that based on the results of the PCR test results but doesn’t release total numbers for how many PCR tests are done daily. The latest 1-day PCR test positivity rate is 16.7%.
Forty South Dakota counties are listed as having “substantial” community spread, while 15 South Dakota counties are listed as “moderate” community spread and 11 South Dakota counties are listed as “minimal” community spread.
Vaccine tracking is now being reported by the state, as of Wednesday, 13,991 doses of the Pfizer vaccine and 15,888 doses of the Moderna vaccine have been administered to 29,778 total persons. There’s been 101 persons completed two doses of the Pfizer vaccine. Vaccine data does not include vaccine given to South Dakota Indian Reservations because that is federally allocated.
Somewhere on twitter is video of magats actually scaling the walls of Congressional bldg to get inside. drumpf told them to engage politicians and her would join them later. Then he told them, afterwards, not to.
He also told them he would go with them and, instead, went straight to the White House, which is a perfect encapsulation of this nonsense.
Not the most important thing that’s happening, perhaps, but these oh-so-patriotic trumpistas don’t know apparently, that the Trump flag DOES NOT GO ABOVE THE STARS AND STRIPES on their precious carry poles.
Take note Republican office holders and party leaders. You are to blame for today. Your failure to denounce the falsehoods of Trump, to denounce his fascist statements, to reject his constant sowing of division and anger, today is the culmination of what happens when you failed to push back against this morally corrupt, intrinsically fascist man who has consistently put his self interest above loyalty and duty to this country. By Charlottesville, if not before, it was clear that Trump was a clear and present danger to democracy, and yet all too many stayed silent. In other countries, we’ve seen what happens when authoritarian leaders are not challenged. Today should not be surprise. The question is will leaders step forward to repair the fabric of democracy. If not, I fear for the future of this nation.
We’ve known Rounds, Thune, noem are witless & spineless.
Now congress is cowering under their desks just like they left our school children for decades.
https://twitter.com/mikel_jollett/status/1346906383212371969?s=21
Now repubs would one of you primary noem?!
All magat pols who refused to seriously consider impeachment and removal of drump for various provable crimes, are co=sponsors of today’s violence inside the capitol and halls of congress. They are just as guilty as drumpf and should be prosecuted for this insurrection. ALL OF THEM!
One woman was shot and seriously injured inside capitol today. Magat blood on magat hands.
I wonder where the bullets,the batons, the tear gas, the water cannons, and the military troops were all hidden after the Black Lives Matter protests. All of these things were readily available for a photo, by trump, at a nearby church. Do you suppose that none of these things work on white people or was the order to stand down given to the capital police. Expect a pardon for all insurrectionists by Jan. 20
Thune and Rounds what an embarrassment today that will history will remember them for supporting a president and not coming out against this guy long time a go .
How much understanding should we extend to Trump? None. How much to Cruz and the others? None. How much to Rounds and the other Republicans who let this go on far too long? Just enough to stop insurrection or civil war. How much to the rank and file Trump supporter? Substantially more. They’ve been brainwashed to think they are patriots and will not change overnight, but we need these millions of Americans to become Americans again. To be clear, Trump, Cruz and his gang are traitors, but these millions of radicalized Trump supporters will need help finding a peaceful place in our society.
First the British in 1812, now the trumpies in 2021. A fitting end to the lying loser.
Now I finally have seen a concrete example of the crime of riot boosting. I hope this will become the example our Governor uses in the future as her example.
cibvet, you are on point. Tucker Carlson et al justified the HEAVY, armed response by police in Minneapolis because black and brown protesters were threatening to damage $4,000 worth of property. I am willing to be that the MAGA rioters racked up at least that toll. They looted as they went as well.
Impeachment tonight after electoral college certifications are read and accepted.
o, you’re spot on. Arrest gnoem for her sedition in the support of the riot.
When the Senate resumes, McConnell should call for the immediate resignation of the president, and if he doesn’t, that impeachment proceedings be commenced on an emergency basis. Today, Trump committed sedition when he incited protesters to swarm the Capitol and when it became an act of insurrection, he failed to forcefully denounce it. Invocation of the 25th amendment may also be appropriate. Trump has shown an inability to discharge the duties of the office since the election, having been fixated on somehow overturning the election. His abdication of his responsibilities, his delusional and seditious behavior render him unfit to be president.
Hap, thanks for breaking down the blame. Those supporters need to pull up their intellectual pants and start thinking straight. I think I understand them pretty well: they are insecure people who fear change. They let their fear drive them to violence and lazy situational ethics that boil down to, Power for Us and not for Them.
But rather than fussing over hw how to hold these folks hands and help them down the Capitol steps (as one Twitter pic shows the authorities doing for one protestor today, in stark contrast to the rough removal of disabled anti-McConnell protestors from the Capitol in 2017) our best action right now, with control of the Senate back in our hands, is to govern the hell out of this country. Seat Warnock and Ossoff, inaugurate Biden, hand Harris the Senate gavel, and pass every Biden bill we can in his first 100 days. Give the Trumpist two full years of effective, empathetic Democratic legislation and leadership. Dare them to throw the progress we’ll make away. The Ever-Trumpers will still wave their Confederate flags and vote for whatever noodle-heads and shouters affirm their insurrection, but a growing majority of Americans will not want to throw away the good the Biden Administration will do for America.
The protest Rounds failed to deter with his equivocation shows us that, if we’re not careful, we could lose democracy to violent anarchy. Thugs among us will destroy the greatness we’ve created, all for their own selfish fantasies. We need to govern like there is no tomorrow… or, more accurately, like there won’t be a Democratic Congress tomorrow and that today is our only chance to do real good.
M. Micheal Rounds famous statement
When do I get paid and how much?
Robert Kolbe.I just think Rounds is there to get a pay check.How much a month do these guys get 13 thousand or 14 thousand for what.Then Rounds will get a nice pension for doing nothing when he retires .Switcheroo Dusty we will see if he becomes a professional politician like photo op Thune.
Pence: Freedom wins.
Is that militia code?
Thune: It’s difficult to know Trump’s responsibility in the [capitol riot].
Deep.
@NewYorker
1h
“They sent a message. That’s enough,” a man in a MAGA hat outside the Capitol said on Wednesday night. “Of course if we come back, it will be with a militia.”
Today I realized the vivid pink Trump flags [the flag poles of which were likely used to smash capitol doors] were the same color as the red neck guy’s AR15 emblazoned t-shirt.
Is this militia code? So anyway that’s why Noem’s dog whistling camouflage tactical caps with her suit coats, inciting militia is so dangerous.
o – the difference between the Magats that won’t vote for Rounds and “Trump haters” is that Round Mikey will need 24 hr. body-guard protection against the Magats for the next 6years. They are essentially proclaiming that voting is NOT their idea of finding solutions. And we have all – the entire world – seen what their idea of a path to resolution is.
rounds was a part of the coup attempt and is a traitor. https://www.businessinsider.com/trump-attempted-coup-federal-law-enforcement-capitol-police-2021-1
This coup attempt was orchestrated at the highest levels, of which, rounds, as an insider, would have had full knowledge. Lock him up. Thune knew as well, but he refused to participate as did Dirty. rounds was just elected so he thinks he is off scot free and we will all forget it. He needs to have his ass locked up.
I hope you understand what Rounds has done. Since 2016 I and many others have expressed a truth, “Donald Trump is not fit to be President of the United States.” Rounds has given him a blanket okay for everything he has done. And now He just “tut tuts” the violence and the breach to the United States Capitol. He will be forever linked to this tragic and deplorable, illegal and violent episode under his watch. Now, I know why he seldom appears in public…he is afraid of being taken to task in an open public setting. He is a coward…and should never think of himrself again as an American patriot. He has 13 days to do something meaningful as he watches the GOP throw itself under the trump bus. Look up “complicit” in the dictionary.
Don’t remember Rounds, Thune or Dusty Johnson expressing concern about Trump’s after-the-election November and December decisions to replace Pentagon officials with loyalists with less-than-sterling credentials, including two who openly peddled the election-fraud claims. Didn’t make much sense for a lame-duck president to do this, until now. This insurrection may have been in the works for two months.
Trump loyalist Senator M. Michael Rounds on Electoral College vote, by date:
Dec. 14, 2019: “Vice President Biden is the president-elect based on the electoral count.” Politico article with title: ‘Time for everybody to move on’: Senate GOP accepts Biden’s win. The Electoral College tally was finally enough for many Republicans to acknowledge reality. https://www.politico.com/news/2020/12/14/senate-republicans-biden-win-445309
Jan. 5, 2020, press release from his office after about 150 other Trump- supporting GOP lawmakers were massing to support objections to some of the results, despite lacking evidence of fraud or wrongdoing: “Tomorrow’s vote will be one of the most consequential votes I’ll likely take as a U.S. Senator,” is his opening sentence. “I’m keeping an open mind. …I wholeheartedly support an independent investigation into the 2020 election.” https://www.rounds.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/rounds-statement-on-the-formal-count-of-the-electoral-college-votes-by-congress
Jan. 7, 2020, press release from his office after Capitol assault by his other staunch Trump supporters: “After much consideration, it was my determination that the objectors did not present the necessary evidence or actions profound enough to gain my support. …The reality is that refusing to certify the election results had no viable path to actually changing the outcome of the election.” https://www.rounds.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/rounds-statement-following-the-formal-count-of-the-electoral-college-votes-by-congress
In time the inbreeding comes to roost with Republicans in South Dakota. At the state and national levels it seems that time has arrived. 2022 is coming. Is it time to go deeper or clean out the mess makers.