Some Texas Republican Officeholders Want The Election Challenge To Go On

AUSTIN – Even after U.S. Attorney General William Barr said his Justice Department found no voting irregularities that would overturn Democrat Joe Biden's victory over President Donald Trump, several Texas congressmen are among those urging him to keep looking.

"We are writing (Dec. 1) because we are concerned about the shocking lack of action from the Justice Department following your directive," says a letter to Barr from nine Republican Texas congressmen and more than two dozen others from other states. "There are a number of anomalies, statistical improbabilities and accusations of fraud that bring the election results in several states into question."

The letter makes no specific allegations of improper voting or vote counting and comes amid a flurry of court actions filed by Trump's campaigns that have either been dismissed by judges or withdrawn by attorneys representing the president's campaign.

In an interview with The Associated Press published before the letter was sent, Barr said lawyers for the Justice Department and agents from the FBI have checked out numerous complaints alleging sundry improprieties but "to date, we have not seen fraud on a scale that could have effected a different outcome in the election."

The top signatory, U.S. Rep. Michael Cloud of the Texas Coastal Bend region, said in a newsletter distributed by his congressional office he still has concerns.

"More than enough evidence has been presented to warrant the issuing of subpoenas, search warrants and the impounding of ballot materials and election devices for forensic analysis," Cloud said in the newsletter.

Other Texans who signed the letter are Brian Babin, R-Woodville; Randy Weber, R-Friendswood; Louie Gohmert, R-Tyler; Lance Gooden, R-Terrell; Michael Conaway, R-Midland; Dan Crenshaw, R-Houston; Jodey Arrington, R-Lubbock; and Bill Flores, R-Waco.

"There is not just smoke here, there is fire," Gohmert said in a tweet that referenced the letter. "There are incredible amounts of fraud that did affect the national election. Where is @TheJusticeDept?"

Cloud's spokeswoman said Monday that Barr "has not responded to our office directly."

The letter sent Dec. 1 was a followup to a similar message the GOP Congress members sent four weeks earlier urging Barr to vigorously pursue claims of election impropriety. After the initial letter was sent, Arrington was effusive in his praise for Trump.

"As the election process continues to play out (far from over), I just want you to know that I'm proud to serve with a man and a leader who fights for all Americans, always puts our country first, and makes good on his promises," he told the president via Twitter.

Days after the election, news organizations projected Biden had won 306 electoral votes to Trump's 232. So far, states totaling 279 electoral votes have officially certified their tallies. It takes 270 electoral votes to win the presidency. The electoral college formally votes on Dec. 14.

Biden's popular vote lead has topped 7 million out of about 155.4 million votes cast.

In the weeks before the election, Barr angered some Democrats when he authorized the Justice Department to investigate claims of voter fraud and other irregularities because it was viewed that he had put his thumb on the scale to favor the president.

But as dozens of Trump's court challenges began failing with judges pointing out legal flaws and lack of evidence, Barr acknowledged the president's challenges were going nowhere when he spoke to the AP.

Brandon Rottinghaus, a political science professor at the University of Houston, said Barr likely used the interview to send a not-too-subtle message to the president, who has still not conceded the race to Biden, that his cause is lost. "A lot of the way that the president's cabinet have signaled to him have been through indirect means," Rottinghaus said. "The president has his inner circle that he relies on and it's hard to break through that."

"Most claims of fraud are very particularized to a particular set of circumstances or actors or conduct," Barr told the wire service. "And those have been run down; they are being run down. Some have been broad and potentially cover a few thousand votes. They have been followed up on."

Rottinghaus said there's no political downside for Texas Republican officeholders to keep close ties with Trump, even as his term is drawing to a close on Jan. 20. "Texas Republicans have been successful in being on Trump's side of the equation. Especially in rural Texas where the president did very well, it's imperative for Republicans to stay in the good graces of President Trump."