NEWS
Michigan State Police Refuse Entry To GOP’s Self-Proclaimed ‘Alternate Electors’ For Trump At State Capitol
Michigan State Police on Monday refused to allow a group of self-proclaimed GOP “alternate electors” for President Donald Trump to enter the state’s Capitol because the real members of Michigan’s electoral college had “already checked in.”
Photojournalist Brendan Gutenschwager documented the bizarre scene as it unfolded Monday afternoon.
“A group of GOP electors for Donald Trump arrives at the Capitol, heading towards the chamber to try to get inside to cast their Electoral College votes,” Gutenschwager reported.
Breaking: A group of GOP electors for Donald Trump arrives at the Capitol, heading towards the chamber to try to get inside to cast their Electoral College votes #ElectoralCollege #Michigan #2020Election pic.twitter.com/88kwEVZVOy
— Brendan Gutenschwager (@BGOnTheScene) December 14, 2020
A second video shows the group attempting to enter the Capitol.
“Per the governor’s office, per the Speaker of the House, per the Speaker of the Senate, the Capitol is closed unless you have an office here to conduct business today or you are taking part in the Electoral College process,” an officer explains to the GOP activists.
“The Electors are already here, they’ve been checked in.” Michigan State Police are blocking access to the Capitol, preventing the GOP Electors from getting inside #Michigan #ElectoralCollege #ElectoralCollegeVote pic.twitter.com/GzTK5gGCJ1
— Brendan Gutenschwager (@BGOnTheScene) December 14, 2020
“We’re electors!” someone in the group tells the officer.
“The electors are already here,” the officer replies. “They’ve been checked in.”
“Not all of them,” the group complains.
“The Capitol is closed,” the officer announces, pointing out that “all 16 electors” are already in the building.
“But the GOP electors!” a man shouts out.
In a third video, a man identified as Ian Northon, an attorney with The Amistad Project, attempts to gain entry and hand a packet of documents to the Speaker of the House. The officer once again is forced to explain that the official electors have already been seated.
“If you have a problem, you can contact the Governor’s office.” State Police block access to the Capitol for the Trump electors, giving no reason for why the building is locked down & redirecting inquiries to Governor Whitmer’s office #Michigan #ElectoralCollege #Lansing pic.twitter.com/wqdPfpMC7H
— Brendan Gutenschwager (@BGOnTheScene) December 14, 2020
“I am telling you that they’re not going to be allowed into the Capitol” A lawyer tries to lead the Michigan GOP electors into the Capitol Building to deliver Electoral College votes for Donald Trump #Michigan #ElectoralCollegeVote #ElectoralCollege pic.twitter.com/Us4cTZFNnL
— Brendan Gutenschwager (@BGOnTheScene) December 14, 2020
Northon later complains to reporters that they were “being stopped from fulfilling their constitutional duty.”
“They’re being stopped from fulfilling their constitutional duty.” Ian Northon, an attorney with The Amistad Project, discusses the GOP electors presence at the Capitol today and being blocked from getting inside #Michigan #GaryEisen #ElectoralCollege #ElectoralCollegeVote pic.twitter.com/LUiAMde0qm
— Brendan Gutenschwager (@BGOnTheScene) December 14, 2020
Just hours before Electors from every state were set to meet on Monday to formally elect Biden as the next president, Senior White House adviser Stephen Miller told “Fox & Friends” that there would be an “alternate slate of electors” in the “contested” states that flipped from Trump to Biden.
“The only date in the Constitution is Jan. 20. So we have more than enough time to right the wrong of this fraudulent election result and certify Donald Trump as the winner of the election,” Miller said on “Fox & Friends.”
“As we speak, today, an alternate slate of electors in the contested states is going to vote and we’re going to send those results up to Congress,” he continued. “This will ensure that all of our legal remedies remain open. That means that if we win these cases in the courts, that we can direct that the alternate state of electors be certified.”
The Electoral College, however, is expected to officially vote for President-elect Joe Biden on Monday.
