Nebraska, South Dakota, and Wyoming are among the 17 states with a Republican attorney general filing a ‘friend of the court’ brief in the latest federal lawsuit challenging the election results in 4 swing states.
The suit, brought by Texas Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton, says election changes made in Pennsylvania, Georgia, Michigan, and Wisconsin by executive decisions or judicial rulings were unconstitutional.
It says the voters were invalid and that the Republican-led state legislature in each should instead be allowed to pick the Electoral College voters.
The case went directly to the Supreme Court since it’s brought by a state against other states. The High Court has given the 4 swing states until Thursday to respond to the lawsuit.
All but Georgia have Democratic attorneys general, but the top officials in all 4 states have blasted the lawsuit. They’ve called the claims “false,” “irresponsible,” “a publicity stunt,” “genuinely embarrassing,” “beyond reckless” and “beneath the dignity of the office of attorney general.”
They point out that many of the claims Texas makes about election irregularities in their states have already been litigated and roundly rejected. The Supreme Court earlier this week unanimously rejected a challenge from Pennsylvania.
President Donald Trump, who has repeatedly said he’s not the one bringing the various challenges, now says his campaign will join the Texas suit.
Nebraska Attorney General Doug Peterson says he joined the brief because Nebraskans have a strong interest in making sure presidential elections comply with the constitution.
Peterson made a similar statement last month when he joined an amicus brief on the Pennsylvania challenge that was rejected by the Supreme Court on Tuesday
Nebraska Sec of State Bob Evnen, also a Republican, says he fully concurs with Nebraska joining the new amicus brief because “it is absolutely essential that credible claims of election irregularities be brought to light and fully investigated.”