Ricketts: Congress should approve Electoral College results, establish voter fraud commission

LINCOLN, Neb. (WOWT) - Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts said Monday that he supported creating a Congressional commission to investigate voter fraud but ended his comments on the matter saying he thinks Congress should certify the 2020 Electoral College results.

The governor’s comments came ahead of Wednesday’s joint session of Congress, which has drawn attention in recent weeks as several Republicans lined up for what Nebraska Sen. Ben Sasse called a “dangerous ploy” to overturn the results showing former Vice President Joe Biden won the 2020 presidential election by earning 306 electoral college votes over President Trump’s 232.

“I think with the substantial number of people who are questioning the integrity of our voter system, it would be good for Congress to do that, to make sure that in future elections, people can have confidence with the way those votes (are counted),” Ricketts said.

Trump’s unprecedented attempt to overturn the presidential election is splitting the Republican Party, and even all 10 living former defense secretaries wrote in an op-ed article that “the time for questioning the results has passed.”

Responding to a question on the matter during his news conference Monday morning, Ricketts pointed out that a Congressional objection to the final Electoral College results wasn’t unusual.

“I believe if you look at the last three Republicans that were elected, Democrats objected to those, including Barbara Boxer,” the governor said.

Ricketts also said he was in favor of a separate audit, saying that it would help to instill confidence in future elections and noting that it was similar to a process Democrats proposed for the 2016 election.

Nebraska Congressman Adrian Smith, who represents the state’s third district, shared a similar perspective on social media Monday, but said he would be among those objecting:

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