CHARLESTON – Some Republican House of Delegates members have introduced a resolution that would ensure former President Donald Trump would be recognized as the winner of the 2024 presidential election.
But critics say the measure essentially would grant Trump immunity for “any potentially illegal actions in pushing the false narrative of a stolen 2020 election.”
Delegate Bill Ridenour (R-Berkeley) introduced House Concurrent Resolution 203 during this week’s special session. It is co-sponsored by Delegates Margitta Mazzocchi (R-Logan), Henry Dillon (R-Wayne), Todd Longanacre (R-Greenbrier), and Elias Coop-Gonzalez (R-Randolph).
Pushkin
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“The West Virginia Legislature shall not recognize an illegitimate presidential election,” the resolution states, basing it on the idea that “there is abundant evidence that non-citizens have been and are being registered to vote in the national election of 2024.”
The resolution also says West Virginia would not recognize the election of a candidate for president if there has been “election interference.” It defines interference as “censorship, information suppression or manipulation, or other unconstitutional, extraconstitutional, illegal or otherwise illegitimate actions by the federal government, foreign governments, or other state governments, either directly or in collusion with elements of the media, social media entities, information entities, or political entities.”
"In the 2024 election cycle there have been, to date, two assassination attempts on the Republican nominee for President of the United States while threats of assassination of the Republican nominees for president and vice president abound," the resolution states. "The federal government, under the current Democrat-led regime, has utterly failed, and continues to fail, in a suspicious manner, in its absolute duty to adequately protect the Republican nominee for president."
It goes on to say the Constitutions of the United States and the State of West Virginia require that only legal citizens may vote in U.S. and West Virginia elections, and that "there is abundant evidence that non-citizens have been and are being registered to vote in the national election of 2024."
It then says the state would declare "it will not recognize an election for President if such election is enabled by illegal or fraudulent acts" and "will not recognize any election of the Democrat candidate for President during the 2024 election cycle if the Republican presidential or vice-presidential candidate is assassinated, seriously injured during an assassination attempt, incarcerated, de facto eliminated or barred from the ballot in any states, or is the subject of legal actions that preclude their effective campaigning."
It also says the state would not recognize the election if "the Attorney General of West Virginia or the Secretary of State of West Virginia, in consultation with the West Virginia Legislature, determine that election fraud in any state was a major reason that resulted in a candidate for President obtaining a majority in the Electoral College." It says the same thing about election interference. If that were to happen, it says the Legislature would be called into special session by the governor to "consider actions to preserve the freedom of our people."
But it all might be for nothing. The resolution was referred to the House Judiciary Committee, which currently is not scheduled to meet during the special session.
The West Virginia Democratic Party called the resolution “unconstitutional and un-American” and “a direct assault on our democracy and a blatant violation of their (the delegates’) oaths of office.”
“This resolution essentially grants former President Trump immunity for any potentially illegal actions in pushing the false narrative of a stolen 2020 election,” Democratic Party Chairman Mike Pushkin said. “Despite more than 60 courts – including those with Trump-appointed judges – rejecting these claims due to a lack of credible evidence, Delegate Ridenour and his co-sponsors are trying to shield Trump from accountability and ensure only one possible outcome in 2024: a Trump victory, regardless of the will of the voters. Such a proposal is not only unconstitutional but also undemocratic and fundamentally un-American.
“The West Virginia Democratic Party stands firmly against this undemocratic resolution and any attempts to subvert the electoral process by preordaining an election outcome. We call on all West Virginians to reject these un-American efforts and hold their elected officials accountable for undermining the foundation of our democracy.”