Trump Team Hits Electoral “Safe Harbor” Deadline

The Washington Post reports:

Trump’s efforts to reverse the election results run into a new hurdle Tuesday, known as “safe harbor” day under federal law.

The 1887 law sets a deadline of six days before the convening of the electoral college for states to certify their election results. While the deadline is not mandatory, the law prohibits Congress from undoing the results of states that have met the deadline.

As of Monday night, 47 states and the District of Columbia had already certified their results, according to Reuters. Those states give Biden far more than enough votes to win the presidency when the electoral college casts its votes next week.

Happy Safe Harbor Day. Although Trump forces will undoubtedly try to continue re-re-litigating the election, challenges to state election results are effectively over as CRS explains in the snip below. The official Electoral College vote takes place 12/14. pic.twitter.com/XVgatbpoTD

— Joyce Alene (@JoyceWhiteVance) December 8, 2020

“Trump’s legal team publicly says the safe harbor deadline [Dec.8] is meaningless and they’ll simply disregard it. Set by a [133]-year-old statute, the date isn’t enshrined in the Constitution, they say.” No, but it was the basis for #BushvGore in 2000! https://t.co/OCngymhzl6

— Laurence Tribe (@tribelaw) December 8, 2020