Recently I wrote an email to Senator Inhofe and expressed my disappointment and disapproval of his actions or lack of actions concerning this fraud perpetrated on our election....I even scorned him and commented that I now had to wonder if his reelection was legitimate or did he steal it like the other corrupt politicians....to my surprise he responded. Here is what he said...
Dear Ms. Flowers:
Thank you for your recent correspondence. As your voice in Washington, I appreciate being made aware of your views.
On
Sunday, January 3, 2021, I was sworn in for my fifth full term in the United States Senate. While being sworn, I took an oath to ‘support and defend’ the Constitution and to ‘bear true faith and allegiance to the same.’ It is an oath I take very seriously, and in my 34 years in federal office, I have not and will not violate my oath.
When talking about my work in the Senate, I often reference the Constitution—it’s the guide for my legislative priorities: defending America and infrastructure. Just as the Constitution is clear about what should be Congress’ top priorities, it is also clear that the power to govern our Presidential elections, including certification and recounts, is explicitly delegated to the states in Article II, Section I. Furthermore, any questions about the electoral process or validity of results may only be constitutionally adjudicated in the courts.
After a presidential election takes place, electors for each state meet to cast their ballots for president and vice president, after which Congress meets in a joint session to ensure each states’ electors are properly certified and to count those votes. My job on Wednesday, January 6—during Congress’ joint session—was clear, and there are only two things I was permitted to do under the Constitution: ensure the electors are properly certified and count the electoral votes, even when I disagreed with the outcome.
Unfortunately, as the joint session was underway on January 6, it was brought to an abrupt halt as violent rioters infiltrated the Capitol complex, compromising the safety and security of every person inside, including Vice President Pence, as well as every member of the House and Senate. I want to be very clear—the violence and anarchy that took place is unacceptable and simply un-American. I continue to be a staunch proponent of the Constitution, including our rights under the First Amendment to exercise the freedom of speech and the right to peaceably assemble; however, these criminal acts are antithetical to everything our Constitution represents. I am also heartbroken at the unthinkable injuries and loss of life that resulted—tragically, five individuals died, including Capitol Police Officer Brian Sicknick, who passed away due to injuries resulting from his brave defense of the Capitol. My staff and I continue to be grateful to all the law enforcement officers who risked—and continue to risk—their safety to protect us.
Despite these unprecedented acts of violence against the Congress, we remained committed to fulfilling our obligations under the law and Constitution. Later in the day, the joint session reconvened to complete the counting of the electoral votes. As Senate Majority Leader McConnell put it, “Criminal behavior will never dominate the United States Congress. This institution is resilient. Our Democratic Republic is strong.”
Since Election Day, the Trump campaign and its supporters have challenged several states’ election results due, in large part, to claims of widespread voter fraud. I support free and fair elections and President Trump’s ability to challenge election results in which there are allegations of fraud and irregularities, but to date, no lawsuit has been successful in overturning any contested state’s election results and the Trump campaign never presented any evidence. In addition, state officials, including elected Republicans, certified the presidential election results in every state. While any instance of fraud is cause for concern and requires investigation, there have been no findings of widespread voter fraud or irregularities that would have changed the election outcome in any state. The violence that took place on January 6 reveals the tragic results that occur when dangerous misinformation to the contrary is spread among the American people.
With all this in mind, I could not join the efforts to object to the certification of any state’s electoral votes. To object to a state’s certification, given how specific the Constitution is, would have been a violation of my oath of office—that was not something I was willing to do and is not something Oklahomans would want me to do, a reality even more clear in light of the violence that preceded the vote. I am a proud conservative, but there is nothing “conservative” about giving members of Congress the ability to override the states and the American people in deciding our next president. Further, states have a responsibility to ensure our elections are run with integrity and transparency, and I support all states’ right to reform their election laws as they see fit so that voters can have greater confidence in our election processes. I also fear that taking away states’ rights over conducting elections and putting that power in the hands of members of Congress would further Democrats’ goals of federalizing elections and ultimately lead to the abolition of the Electoral College, a longtime priority of Democrats in Washington. That would do grave harm to our country, as presidential candidates would ignore most states, like Oklahoma, and instead solely focus on obtaining the popular vote from big, urban cities and states that do not share Oklahoma’s values or political views.
Make no mistake, I hear the frustration and anger from so many of my constituents regarding concerns related to the integrity of our elections, particularly in other states, and the outcome of this presidential election—believe me when I say that no one was more disappointed in the outcome of the presidential election than me. I wanted President Trump to win. However, as a member of the Senate, I have a civic duty to uphold the Constitution and to support the peaceful transfer of power for the new administration, even despite my many policy disagreements with the incoming administration. Please know that my decision regarding these votes will in no way impact my continued push for legislation and other policies that benefit the great people of Oklahoma, including energy independence and the right to life.
We have a lot of work to do to restore faith in our democracy and all Americans’ confidence that our elections are held freely and fairly, with every legal vote counted—and are starting that work now. In the meantime, please know that I will continue to uphold my oath to the Constitution and to faithfully represent all of my constituents.
Thank you again for reaching out. If you are interested in keeping up with my work in the Senate, I encourage you to sign up for my online newsletter by visiting:
https://www.inhofe.senate.gov/contact/newsletter.
Sincerely,
James M. Inhofe
United States Senator
