Congressman Harris Vote Update: January 2021

On January 6, 2021, in the course of voting to refuse certification of the electoral college vote, the Congressman 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 was one of the 139 Republicans in the U.S. House of Representatives who voted to reject electoral college vote counts. Harris objected to the electoral vote count from both Arizona and Pennsylvania. How Republicans in Congress voted on counting Joe Biden’s electoral college win - Washington Post

In a press release issued January 7, the Congressman denied that his votes to reject the electoral college count amounted to calling for “the overthrowing of an election” or that there was anything “treasonous or seditious” about his objections. Rather, he explained, he merely “felt compelled to highlight” his “Constitutional concerns about how the election was conducted in certain states.” https://harris.house.gov/media/press-releases/harris-issues- statement-following-electoral-college-vote-count. Significantly, the Congressman has never provided a factual explanation of what the specific constitutional issues were that caused him to refuse the votes of Arizona and Pennsylvania voters. He has still not explained why the decisions of the courts in Pennsylvania and Arizona denying the multiple challenges made to the vote in those states were not sufficient to assuage his “concerns”. The residents of the First Congressional District deserve concise facts. If the Congressman has facts, he should be able to articulate them.

The Congressman skipped the impeachment vote on January 13, calling it “pointless” because Joe Biden was going to be President in less than a week. The Congressman explained that instead of participating in this very significant vote, he was “caring for patients.” The Congressman said that he would have voted against impeaching because it was a “divisive, hastily called and politically motivated snap impeachment” and a “waste of time.” Md. Rep. Andy Harris skips Trump impeachment vote | WTOP. The Congressman was elected to a full- time job in the House of Representatives. The voters in the First Congressional District should be able to count on its representatives making an effort to participate in important votes.

Reneging on his commitment to term limits 10 years ago, the Congressman stated in an interview on WBAL Radio on January 16 that he will seek a seventh term because “the situation is very different” from when he pledged 10 years ago to serve only 6 terms. According to Harris “[no one would have anticipated...the pushback from liberals and socialists.....” Maryland Rep. Andy Harris says he will seek a seventh term, after pledging to serve no more than six - Baltimore Sun. Harris stated in the interview that the “fight is not over” and that “we have serious threats.” Consistent with his history of avoiding factual statements, he did not explain what exactly his “fight” was about, or what the specific “threats” are that he needs to “fight” against.

The Congressman did not only skip the impeachment vote on January 13, he also decided to skip the inauguration on January 20. According to his spokesman, his absence was not a form of protest, he “just wanted to avoid Washington” that day. https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/md-politics/good-harris-biden- inauguration/2021/01/21/6f0c5cd2-5c02-11eb-b8bd-ee36b1cd18bf_story.html.

On January 20, the Congressman issued a press statement issued a press statement “reacting” to the inauguration of President Biden and Vice President-President Harris. Harris Congratulates President Biden But Remains Concerned | Congressman Andy Harris (house.gov). The text of the press statement listed the “many disagreements” the Congressman anticipates he will have with the new administration, but did not identify any potential shared interests.

On January 21, the Congressman again made news, this time for possibly trying to take a gun onto the House floor. Capitol Police investigate whether GOP Rep. Andy Harris tried to take gun on House floor (nbcnews.com);https://www.delmarvanow.com/story/news/local/maryland/2021/01/22/andy-harris-gun- house-security-checkpoint-maryland-washington/6669221002/. The U.S. Capitol Police Department has launched an investigation. https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/md- politics/andy-harris-gun/2021/01/21/81c7ba90-5c63-11eb-8bcf-3877871c819d_story.html.

On January 22, the Congressman issued a press release urging President Biden to obtain Senate approval before re-entering the Paris Climate Agreement. Harris Highlights Flaws in Paris Agreement | Congressman Andy Harris (house.gov). The United States had previously entered the agreement without Senate approval because it was believed to fall under the previously ratified 1992 United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. Republicans call for Senate review before U.S. re-enters Paris climate deal | Reuters. In his press release, the Congressman stated that “studies indicate” that rejoining the Paris accord will cause significant income and job losses and increase electricity costs. He neither cited the specific studies that support such conclusions, nor did he address alternatives to address climate-related challenges.

On January 25, the Congressman issued a Maryland Covid-19 Vaccine Update newsletter noting that the State had entered Phase 1C for vaccinations, reminding that supplies were limited and providing contact information for health departments in the First Congressional District.

Overall, the Congressman’s activities in January 2021 attracted lots of attention for questionable behavior. Aside from the Covid-19 Vaccine update, there was little apparent effort to give voters actual facts or advance specific proposals to help support the interests of voters in the First Congressional District.