Parting With Van Drew, Rep. Smith Votes To Confirm Biden Win

WASHINGTON, DC — Fourth District New Jersey Congressman Chris Smith, a Republican, voted with the Congressional majority Wednesday night to confirm the Electoral College vote counts that make Joe Biden the nation’s 46th president.

There are only two remaining New Jersey Congress representatives who are Republican — Smith and Rep. Jeff Van Drew. Of the two, only Van Drew voted in support of the objections. Van Drew represents the Second Congressional District (South Jersey) and is an outspoken Trump supporter.

Smith represents Central Jersey: Monmouth and Ocean counties, and part of Mercer.

President Trump released a statement early Thursday morning promising there would be a peaceful transition of power when Biden takes office Jan. 20.

Objections were raised Wednesday night about the vote count in Arizona and Pennsylvania, and Smith voted against both those objections.

Van Drew's remarks in objection were brief on the House floor: "At the core of our country's greatness is our democratic system of government. Without faith in the integrity in our elections, Americans will not have faith in our democracy."

Smith had previously told Patch Wednesday night that he planned to certify the election results, agreeing with Vice President Pence and House Majority leader Mitch McConnell that Congress does not have the authority to overturn an election.

"I do believe Mike Pence did the right thing. I think legally he had only that option," Smith said Wednesday. "But he was very noble. And I think McConnell's speech was very eloquent and was one for the record books."

Biden received 306 electoral votes and Trump 232.

Congress has a history of objecting to Electoral College votes — especially Democrats

For political newbies, this is hardly the first time members of Congress have objected to the results of a presidential election.

As written in the Constitution, Congress' role certifying the Electoral College votes is seen as mostly ceremonial, and prior to 2001, presidential wins were rarely challenged. In fact, as the New York Times points out, it has been Democrats who contested every single Republican presidential election win in this century (the 2000s), starting with George W. Bush’s victory in 2000.

In January 2017, half a dozen House Democrats objected to Trump’s Electoral College win over Hillary Clinton, arguing she had won the popular vote. That led to then-Vice President Biden using his gavel several times to quiet House Democrats, famously saying "there is no debate, there is no debate, there is no debate" and turning off the microphone for Rep. Barbara Lee (D-California) as she tried to object.

In 2005 some Democratic Congress members, led by Rep. Stephanie Tubbs (D-Ohio) with the support of U.S. Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-California), tried to overturn the results of the Bush-Kerry presidential election, also without success.

And in January 2001, then-Vice President Al Gore silenced fellow Dems who objected to his defeat by President George W. Bush.

Smith represents the Fourth Congressional District, which covers nearly all of Monmouth County, including towns such as Holmdel, part of Middletown, Colts Neck, Rumson, Manalapan, Freehold, Red Bank and Wall Township. The Fourth District also reaches into Jackson and Lakewood in Ocean County and Hamilton and Robbinsville in Mercer County.

Here is the statement Rep. Smith gave on the House floor when he voted against the objections for Arizona and Pennsylvania:

Provided to Patch, here are Rep. Smith's prepared remarks on the House floor Wednesday:

Madame Speaker, after rigorous analysis and much reflection, I will not oppose the counting of certified electoral votes from any state.

I share some of the concerns about election irregularities. Today's proceedings give Congress the opportunity to raise concerns about alleged election wrongdoing in several states, which I hope will ultimately lead to bipartisan state investigations and reform to ensure fair and free elections.

Today, however, Congress is tasked with counting the electoral votes sent by each state. Nullifying the electors of any state requires proof that electors were not "lawfully certified" according to state laws.

In early December, Attorney General William Barr told the Associated Press that "U.S. attorneys and FBI agents have been working to follow up specific complaints and information they've received, but "to date, we have not seen fraud on a scale that could have effected a different outcome in the election."

All elections in the United States must be free and fair — any action to subvert, cheat, suppress or steal any election should be investigated and prosecuted.

Even if the nefarious activity was minor—and not likely to alter the outcome of an election — individuals who engage in such acts should be held accountable in a court of law.

No one has a license to cheat.

Sixteen years ago, some Democratic members of the Senate and House tried to overturn the results of the Bush-Kerry presidential election. They failed. When counting the electoral votes on January 6, 2005, I voted "no" on the objection to accepting Ohio's electors — enough to reverse the outcome of the election — sponsored by Rep. Stephanie Tubbs Jones (D-Oh) because the allegations lacked both merit and proof. Only 31 members of the House voted in favor of the election changing objection.

Congress, states and local governments need to undertake a top-to-bottom review of election law and administrative polices to ensure that elections are free and fair.

The future of our nation depends on it.

Read: Rep. Chris Smith Condemns 'The Assault' On Capitol Hill

Electoral College Count: How NJ 2nd District's Van Drew Voted