Groups Demand US Lawmakers Commit to Upholding 2024 Election Results!

As concerns rise that former President Donald Trump and his supporters may challenge the legitimacy of the 2024 election if he does not win, over fifty advocacy and watchdog organizations issued a letter to every member of Congress on Monday. They called for a firm commitment from lawmakers to support the peaceful transition of power in January 2025.

The campaign, spearheaded by the organization Courage for America, which fights against agendas it believes prioritize financial and political gain over the rights of people, emphasized the urgency of the matter with less than 100 days until January 6, 2025. This is the date set for Congress to officially certify the election results.

This date also coincides with the fourth anniversary of the violent assault on the U.S. Capitol by Trump supporters, who aimed to prevent the certification of the 2020 election results following Trump’s incitement.

The organizations expressed their concerns in the letter, stating, “Should Congress fail to fulfill its patriotic and constitutional responsibilities to the American populace on January 6, 2025, our fundamental rights and freedoms could be at risk once again.”

Among the signatories were notable groups such as Public Citizen, People’s Action, and Friends of the Earth. They urged legislators to “condemn any efforts to intimidate or threaten, or incite political violence; to dismiss attempts to disseminate false information about the integrity of U.S. elections; and to agree to acknowledge the final election results, promptly certify them, and support the orderly transfer of power.”

The urgency of this plea was underscored by recent comments from U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.), who indicated he would back the certification of the election results “if we have a free, fair, and secure election.” This caveat, reminiscent of the unfounded allegations of a rigged 2020 election promoted by top Republicans, was deemed “disturbing” by journalist Chris Geidner.

Johnson has been a prominent voice against voting by noncitizens, a practice already illegal under federal law, yet he has proposed legislation to further prevent it.

Responding to Johnson’s comments and proposed bill, U.S. Rep. Joe Morelle (D-N.Y.), a leading Democrat on the House Committee on House Administration, which deals with election-related issues, wrote in an op-ed for MSNBC that numerous hearings have shown state and local election officials are well-prepared for the upcoming elections, with robust safeguards against fraud and tampering.

Morelle criticized the ongoing misinformation about noncitizen voting spread by Trump, Speaker Johnson, and other right-wing figures as baseless and harmful, designed to undermine voter confidence and pave the way for unfounded accusations of electoral fraud. “The Constitution and federal law obligate Congress to respect the people’s will… It is imperative that January 6, 2025, does not become a repeat of January 6, 2021, as we certify the Electoral College outcomes,” he urged.

Trump has also baselessly insinuated that the upcoming election will be marred by widespread fraudulent voting, a claim unsupported by evidence and contradicted by a comprehensive study which found only 31 instances of fraud out of over 1 billion votes cast from 2000 to 2014.

The letter concluded with a solemn reminder of the last time Congress members supported Trump’s efforts to disrupt the peaceful transfer of power, resulting in loss of life and chaos at the Capitol. “Such a breach must never recur,” the groups insisted. “Securing the peaceful certification of the next presidential election is not just a critical duty but also essential to uphold our democratic institutions against the backdrop of increasing political violence and threats. Neglecting this responsibility could not only be seen as a grave abdication of duty but also a permanent blemish on our democracy.”