Congressman Harris Vote Update - December 2020

When Congressman Harris first ran for office in 2010, he pledged, if elected, to leave by 2023. https://www.baltimoresun.com/politics/bs-pr-pol-andy-harris-trump-20201218-f3efl3ct7zf5pgrin6xd7z44ea-story.html.  Assuming he keeps his word, he is entering his last term.  It’s not clear if will change his mind about term limits.  Regardless, it is important for voters in the First Congressional District to keep track of what he is doing.

His records in December 2020 show this:

1. The Congressman signed on as a Friend of the Court to support a lawsuit filed by the Attorney General of Texas to disenfranchise voters in Pennsylvania, Georgia, Wisconsin and Michigan. The Supreme Court of the United States quickly dismissed the lawsuit for lack of standing, stating in a short order on December 11, 2020 that Texas did not demonstrate a judicially cognizable interest in the manner in which another state conducts its elections.

Responding to criticism, the Congressman sought to justify his actions, writing in a form letter to constituents that “the purpose of the brief was not to ask the Supreme Court to reject votes cast in good faith – it was only to ask the court to rule on the constitutionality of election law changes, and to provide remedies as necessary.”

The Congressman’s explanation falls way short.   First, legal commentators report that “[n] umerous lower courts and election authorities in the states at issue found no evidence of fraud, illegality or any other election problems that would cast doubt on the results.” https://www.scotusblog.com/2020/12/states-tell-justices-to-deny-texas-request-to-overturn-2020-election.

Second, the Amicus brief that was filed on behalf of the Congressman and other Republican House members was to support a Motion for Preliminary Injunction that Texas filed with the Supreme Court.  In its lawsuit, Texas stated unequivocally that Texas sought to “enjoin the States of Georgia, Michigan, and Wisconsin and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania … and all of their agents, officers, presidential electors, and others acting in concert from taking action to certify presidential electors or to have such electors take any official action—including without limitation participating in the electoral college or voting for a presidential candidate—until further order of this Court…..”  Put simply, Texas sought to overturn election results in the four states.  The Congressman’s effort to cloak his support for this with the banal explanation that he wanted only to have the court rule on the constitutionality of election law changes in other states insults the intelligence of voters in his District.

1. The Congressman voted against the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021, H.R. 6395 on December 8, 2020, which passed on a bipartisan basis with 81% of the House in support of the bill. This is the bill that authorizes appropriations for fiscal year 2021 for military activities for the Department of Defense, including procurement, salary for military personnel, healthcare, and matters relating to Covid-19. A fulsome summary of its content can be found at https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/116/hr6395/summary.  On December 23, 2020, the President vetoed the bill, because, among other things, it included language that would require the renaming of certain military installations.  https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefings-statements/presidential-veto-message-house-representatives-h-r-6395/.   The Congressman voted against the override, one of only 87.  The bipartisan House vote to override the veto succeeded by a comfortable margin.  The Congressman has not offered any statement on his website explaining his vote against this important funding bill for the service personnel who defend our country.

The Congressman’s record in 2021 begins with shame.

1. After seeing the invasion of the Capitol building by a mob on January 6, and even though aware of the death, destruction, vandalism and disrespect that occurred in its wake, the Congressman stuck with his effort to disenfranchise voters. Shifting from his earlier call to rule on the constitutionality of election law changes, but still with the objective of blocking the electoral college vote, he joined other Republicans on the floor of the House the evening of January 6 to demand investigation of election “fraud”. According to the Washington Post, Harris got so agitated when he and his Republican colleagues were accused of inspiring the mob, he got into a yelling match with another lawmaker that verged on physical confrontation.  Republican Andy Harris and Democrat Colin Allred nearly come to blows on house floor – The Washington Post.

The Congressman has never articulated the specific acts he thinks constituted “fraud” or other wrongdoing in the November election.   He has consistently ignored the rights of states to determine their own election processes and has disregarded the certification of electoral college votes by each of the 50 states.  He apparently does not care that some 60 courts have dismissed Republican challenges to President-Elect Biden’s election.

Instead of condemning, the Congressman sought to excuse the mob, suggesting that the desecration of the Capitol could be rationalized by years of objections to the conduct of President Trump.  Echoing the President’s words after Charlottesville, the Congressman said  “both sides”  of the aisle “should want to come together and truly have investigations.”  Andy Harris – As we are to return to the House Chamber and… | Facebook

The chair of the Maryland Democratic Party, Yvette Lewis, released a statement January 7, calling on Harris to resign immediately:

“Representative Harris’ actions have been nothing short of an attack on our democracy, a betrayal of those who he represents, and an attempt to overturn a legitimate election in favor of a wannabe authoritarian. His conduct is a disgrace to the First Congressional District, and to all the people of Maryland. He should resign — immediately,” Lewis said.  At US Capitol, MD Rep. Andy Harris faces confrontation on voter fraud (jsonline.com)

In acknowledging the altercation on the House Floor, Congressman Harris referenced “tensions at the end of a difficult day.”  Republican Andy Harris and Democrat Colin Allred nearly come to blows on house floor – The Washington Post Lateness of the hour is no excuse.  The Congressman should have had the conscience and backbone to defend democracy.    Others in his party did. His actions make him unworthy of his post.