Raskin Blasts Electoral College as ‘Undemocratic Relic’ of Constitution — Amid Report That Some on Jan. 6 Committee Want to Dismantle it
Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-MD) says the Electoral College is an “undemocratic relic” of the Constitution — amid a new report which says the members of the January 6 committee are having private disagreements about actions to take on voting rights, including abolishing the Electoral College.
Speaking to the Washington Post, Raskin said he has long been a critic of the Electoral College, but said he only speaks for himself and not the rest of the committee members. A televised hearing will be broadcast on Thursday in primetime where the congressional members will present some of the findings from their investigation into the January 6 Capitol riot.
“I’ve taken the position that the Electoral College is an undemocratic relic of the early Constitution, just like the state legislature selection of U.S. senators, which is something we got rid of, in 1913, with the 17th Amendment, just like the exclusion of women from voting, which we got rid of in 1920 with the 19th Amendment” Raskin said.
The Democrat said the Electoral College is an “obsolescent” political institution and practice that needs to be “addressed,” but he would not say whether it is an issue the committee on which he sits will be taking on.
“We do still have what I think we have some obsolescent political institutions in the country and certainly some obsolescent political practices. Those are things I think we need to address whether it’s in this context or another context,” Raskin said.
An Axios report from Jonathan Swan and Hans Nichols published over the weekend suggested Raskin and others are taking things a bit further and pushing his colleagues on the committee to recommend abolishing the Electoral College. This has led to a “private divide” among the group, with Rep. Liz Cheney (R-WY) being among those pushing back against such a sweeping recommendation, the outlet reported.
Watch above via the Washington Post.
