A Harvard University law professor is warning that many Republican Electoral College members may not vote for Donald Trump when the group convenes on December 19.
A Harvard University law professor is warning that many Republican Electoral College members may not vote for Donald Trump when the group convenes on December 19, reports MSNBC.
Lawrence Lessig, who also represents the 'Electors Trust,’ which provides legal advice to electors seeking it, reportedly said about possible defectors on Tuesday, “Surveying the three groups that are supporting Republican electors, we believe there are 20 right now - some tell me the number is higher than that, it should be more like 30 - but I feel confident in saying there’s at least 20.”
He made similar remarks to Politico and the media outlet states, “Lessig provided no evidence to back up his claim, but says his group has heard from 20 Republicans open to breaking with Trump.”
Politico also quotes him as saying, “Obviously, whether an elector ultimately votes his or her conscience will depend in part upon whether there are enough doing the same.”
Thus far, 10 Electoral College voters--9 of them Democrats--have asked for more information about Russia’s alleged involvement in the 2016 U.S. presidential election.
The one Republican in the group, Christopher Suprun, explained in an op-ed for the New York Times that he has chosen not to vote for Trump because the president-elect, according to Suprun, is “someone who shows daily he is not qualified for the office.”
The New York Post reports that Trump will need 270 electoral votes to seal his presidency; 37 Republican members would need to change their vote to keep him from reaching that number.