In an ironic twist of fate, Kamala Harris, Vice-President of the United States, will be obligated to confirm the victory of the very person she, alongside her party, alarmingly warned the country about in the lead-up to the November elections. This dreaded duty that falls upon her on January 6, as per the statute, following a presidential election, is a shared burden suffered by previous vice-presidents who sought the position of the highest office. Notably, Al Gore and Richard Nixon, among others, had endured this humiliating role where they authorized their own defeats in the presence of a multitude of lawmakers. However, the situation today is peculiarly contrasting due to the profound concern and anxiety portrayed by Harris and fellow Democrats over the prospect of a Trump presidency.
Laden with historic significance, this particular certification follows just four years, and one presidential election after the shocking breach by a rabid mob, agitated by the unfounded claims by Trump that Joe Biden lost the election, of the US Capitol. This incident, which occurred while then-Vice-President Mike Pence was overseeing the 2020 electoral vote count, showed a country deeply divided. In contrast today, despite the facts, Trump seems to be accepting of his victory, and oddly enough, Democrats are refraining from voicing fraudulent allegations. Nevertheless, regardless of the peaceful rhetoric, extensive security arrangements are being implemented by law enforcement to avoid any disruptions.
According to insiders, Kamala Harris aims to guarantee a smooth completion of the certification process, likely a jab at Trump’s reticence to do so in the previous election. Interestingly, post Harris’s defeat, both she and President Biden claimed that they’d provide a transition process to Trump of the sort they were denied four years prior. Ensuring a smooth governance shift seemed to be on the top of their agenda, even if it meant providing a warm welcome to their predecessor, whose governance chaos they pledged to rectify.
After losing their bid for power, Harris and Biden vowed to simplify the transition, marking a disjoint from Trump’s disruptive behaviors in the past. A gesture that, it’s worth mentioning, caused some Democrats to bristle. This could well be considered a fulfillment of their campaign promises. These were the officials who pledged to bring back dignity to the White House and restore American traditional institutions. Their final chance to fulfill this commitment will be during the transition to the leader whose tumultuous rule they had ended.
Donna Brazile shared her recollection of watching Gore as he presided over his own defeat certification in a tightly contested 2001 election. The battle for this particular election stretched all the way to the Supreme Court who eventually declared George W. Bush victorious after a heated recount in Florida. Stating Gore’s conduct at that time, Brazile spoke of him as a true statesman who comprehended that the fight ended when the Supreme Court had pronounced its judgement.
January 6, 2021, is a day marked in infamy, not just because of the violent attack on the US Capitol, but also because some Republican Senators attempted to challenge Biden’s victory in key states. However, most backpedaled on their opposition following the infamous riot, which lead to a loss in human lives. For years, Congress’ tally and ratification of the electoral votes was seen as a mundane event until Trump supporters in 2021 developed tactics and conspiracies aimed at overturning it, futilely as they all fell short in court.
And even as the smoke clears surrounding the 2024 election result, the unexpected violence that happened three years prior has left a looming shadow on proceedings. The pressure is building on law enforcement authorities not only to ensure a repeat of the 2021 security breach does not occur but to certify that such threats are nowhere in sight during the important event.
Breaking from tradition, the Department of Homeland Security has classified the vote certification as a national special security event for the first time. This prompted the Secret Service and other agencies to devise a comprehensive and integrated security plan that aims to maintain the safety and security of the event and its participants. This certification also holds significance as it is the first one to take place after the 2022 revamp of the Electoral Count Act.
This Act’s remodeled version aimed to strengthen the vulnerabilities revealed by the January 6, 2021 events. The law reaffirms vice-presidential authority during the session where electoral votes are counted, noting they only serve a ministerial role, debunking Trump’s misguided claims from 2021 about Pence’s ability to overturn the election results. Following this, escalated threats directed at Pence emerged from Trump supporters as he declined to follow through.
The newly reformed law also raised the parameters required for Congressional members to contest a state’s electors. Harris hence sees this certification occupying a crucial juncture as it revives the historic precedent of presidential candidates graciously conceding to their adversaries after the elections. This realization of Trump’s return to the White House, however, would be a grievous and bitter pill to swallow for numerous Harris enthusiasts.
When Gore was tasked with certifying the electoral votes in 2001, some of his followers sought him out at the Capitol, expressing that they would have preferred witnessing him validating his own triumph rather than his defeat. A similar sentiment accompanies the forthcoming instance as several of Harris’ supporters may find it tough to grapple with witnessing her admit defeat while acknowledging her competitor’s victory.
Due to the symbolic importance of this moment, the day of certification is sure to present a surreal, not to mention humiliating event, for Vice-President Kamala Harris. After all, she will need to validate the victory of her rival, someone she has unflatteringly labeled a fascist. Nevertheless, fulfilling this duty stands as an obligation dictated by her vice-presidential role, thus leaving her with no alternative but to comply.