Peach Tree Times

During the joint session with the Senate and the House, Vice President Mike Pence did not acknowledge that there were seven states that sent two electoral vote certificates to the Capitol.

“This certificate from [a state], the parliamentarians advise me, is the only certificate of vote from that state that purports to be a return from the state and that has annexed to it a certificate from the authority of the state purporting to appoint and ascertain electors,” Pence said when he read each state’s certificate, The Epoch Times reported.

Pence also asked if there were any objections as he read each certificate.

Pence only read the certificates for Biden from the seven contested states, which are Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, New Mexico, Nevada, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin.

For the last three elections — in 2009, 2013 and 2017 — vice presidents have said, “After ascertainment has been had that the certificates are authentic and correct in form, the tellers will count and make a list of the votes cast by the electors of the several states,” a Politico reporter tweeted.

In 2005, the instructions given by the vice president were similar to that of 2009, 2013 and 2017.

In past joint sessions, vice presidents have read alternative electors. The Epoch Times reports that in 1961, then-Vice President Richard Nixon was initially declared the winner in Hawaii, but John F. Kennedy was certified as the state’s winner two days before the joint session. Congress had votes for both candidates.

“The Chair has received three certificates from persons claiming to be the duly appointed electors from the State of Hawaii,” Nixon said during that session. “The Chair will hand these certificates one at a time to the tellers who will read the certificates and the attached papers in full. After the first certificate has been read the Chair will then hand the second certificate to the tellers, and then the third.”