ABC’s Karl Reports Pence ‘Intends to Defy’ Trump’s Demand He Object to Election Results

ABC’s Jon Karl reported that his sources have told him that Vice President Mike Pence will “defy” President Donald Trump when he presides over Congress’ certification of the 2020 election results.

Speaking to Lindsey Davis, Karl addressed Trump’s expectation for Pence to throw out electoral votes from the swing states where he tried to dispute his losses. While Pence does not have the authority to do that under the Constitution, Trump has been pressuring his VP to take action and reject the Electoral College. If this were to happen, Congress still has the power to overrule Pence, and the odds of overturning the election are remote despite Republican plans to challenge it.

Karl reported on Tuesday night that Pence is “fully aware” that he doesn’t have the power Trump claims he does.

“While Pence has said nothing publicly,” Karl reported, “I am told by people close to the vice president that he intends to defy the president on this, that he intends to follow the rules. Which means that at the end of the process tomorrow, it will be Vice President Pence who is the one announcing Joe Biden officially, formally, and finally has won the Electoral College and won the presidency.”

Karl also added this is likely to “incur the wrath” of Trump. His report was corroborated by another one from The New York Times, which said Pence met with Trump and said “he did not believe he had the power to block congressional certification.”

Watch above, via ABC.

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