NJ congressman says he’ll try to block Electoral College results

The South Jersey congressman who switched parties to become a Republican right before the election is joining Republican efforts to thwart President-elect Joe Biden's Electoral College victory, which a joint session of Congress is expected to finalize on Jan. 6.

The vote is the final step toward Biden being sworn in as president on Jan. 20. President Donald Trump continues to claim the election was fraudulent even though no credible evidence has been presented in numerous courts. Trump has been working to get Republicans to reject the Electoral College vote.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has privately warned senators to refrain from disputing the result, telling them it would essentially mean they would have to publicly back Trump or buck him.

CNN reported that a group of House Republicans led by Georgia U.S. Rep. Mo Brooks is preparing to vote against the Electoral College results after meeting with Trump before Christmas at the White House.

Texas U.S. Rep. Louie Gohmert and Georgia U.S. Rep. Jody Hice have also said they will vote against the result. They need at least one senator to join their effort. Gohmert is suing Vice President Mike Pence, who serves as president of the Senate, to overturn the election and declare Trump the winner.

In an interview Tuesday with WPG's Harry Hurley on Fox Radio, Van Drew said New Jersey's electors held their constitutionally required meeting.

"Any of these other states that were in the Texas briefs did not do that and that is breaking the rule of law. Unacceptable. That is why I am protesting as far as the electors and I will not vote to certify those electors of those states," Van Drew said.

Texas this month unsuccessfully tried to get the U.S. Supreme Court to challenge the results in Michigan, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania and Georgia, which Biden won.

Van Drew won re-election to a second term in November from New Jersey's second congressional district, his first full term as a Republican. After being the only Democrat to vote against Trump impeachment he switched parties at Trump's urging.

Trump hosted a large rally for Van Drew in Wildwood before the pandemic began.

A spokesman for Van Drew did not yet return a message from New Jersey 101.5 requesting additional comment.

Contact reporter Dan Alexander at Dan.Alexander@townsquaremedia.com or via Twitter @DanAlexanderNJ.