How Trump’s Hill allies could take one last shot to overturn the election

 

(Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) addresses the crowd during a Trump campaign rally, Friday, Oct. 16, 2020, in Ocala, Fla.)

‘President Donald Trump’s arsenal for overturning the election will soon be down to one final, desperate maneuver: pressing his Republican allies on Capitol Hill to step in and derail Joe Biden’s presidency.

Although the Electoral College casts the official vote for president on Dec. 14, it’s up to Congress to certify the results a few weeks later. And federal law gives individual members of the House and Senate the power to challenge the results from the floor — a rarely used mechanism meant to be the last of all last resorts to safeguard an election.

But several House Republican lawmakers and aides now tell POLITICO they’re considering this option to aid Trump’s quest.

“Nothing is off the table,” said Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.)….’

— Via POLITICO

R.I.P. Arecibo

Arecibo Observatory destroyed in platform collapse

(The damaged dish before today’s collapse. Satellite image courtesy of Maxar Technologies)

‘The suspended platform above the Arecibo radio telescope collapsed early this morning, destroying the observatory’s 1000-ft dish. The structure, already damaged after two of the cables supporting the dish snapped in two separate incidents, is now beyond repair….’

— Via Boing Boing