Okla. Congressional Delegation Addresses Decisions To Stick To Objections

Some lawmakers say they stand by their decision to go against the electoral college’s results and said the choice was fueled by ethics, not politics.

Senator James Lankford spoke on the Capitol floor after Wednesday’s riots, stating Oklahomans still want answers and transparency.

You can read full statements from Oklahoma’s congressional delegation below.

Rep. Tom Cole tweeted the following,

"On behalf of my constituents, I am casting my vote against certification of the Electoral College’s count of the presidential election results. The greatest function of a representative is being elected to represent the views of one’s constituency. I have been closely studying this issue & listening intently to what my constituents have to say. The voters I represent are not concerned about the fairness of elections in OK. However, they are concerned about fairness & transparency in other states. They have asked me to express their concerns with my vote on the floor today, & as their representative, I intend to do so."

Statement From James Lankford on Capital Floor: 

“Peaceful people in my state in Oklahoma want their questions answered, but they don’t want this, what happened today. They want to do the right thing, and they also want to do it the right way. They want to honor the constitutional process, but they also want to have a debate about election security because they want to make sure it’s right, which is why it’s an important issue that needs to be resolved. Transparency in government just doesn’t seem like a bad idea.”

Statement from Congressman Markwayne Mullin: 

"On Wednesday, January 6th a joint session of Congress convened to count the electoral college votes and I contested the votes from several states.

The reason I contested the results was not a political decision. It is because I firmly believe the procedures surrounding how the electors in several states were chosen violates our Constitution.

Under the Constitution, states have the right to set their own election laws and state legislatures are the only ones who have the authority to direct how the presidential electors are chosen. In several states where I will contest the results, the rules were deliberately changed by officials other than the state legislatures in direct violation of the U.S. Constitution and the constitutions of those states.

I swore an oath to protect and defend the Constitution therefore I cannot in good conscience vote to certify an election where the electors were not chosen properly. Standing by and letting these electoral votes be certified would show the American people the foundation of our democracy means nothing.

The future of our election system is at stake. Our country is and always will be worth fighting for."

Statement from Rep. Stephanie Bice

"The votes weren't there. This is about the states being put on notice, so their elections are secure and everyone can feel confident in the outcome of the election. That's the reason I voted the way I did"