Still lots of concern about what happens on January 6, given the recent conduct of President Trump and many in the House and Senate.

Bottom line: It'll be a ridiculous (maybe worse) political circus but legally it absolutely will not change the outcome of the election.

Thread:

1) Let's start with this VP business (Trump saying he hopes Pence "comes through," the Gohmert lawsuit). That's a big nothing. Under the Constitution, the VP's only role is to "open all the certificates" and, under federal law, to "read" them. It's entirely ceremonial. That's it.

2) Imagine if the VP actually did have the power to unilaterally reject votes. Any VP, in any year, could simply declare his own party the winner. Biden could have declared Hillary Clinton in Jan. 2017 over Trump; Cheney could have declared Romney in Jan. 2009 over Obama; etc.

3) I don't believe Pence will try it. And if he does, it'll be about as effective, constitutionally and legally, as using one of those oversized ceremonial "keys to the city" to actually open up the bank building.

4) Now, Congress. There's a federal law called the Electoral Count Act of 1887. (Note: this is a law but *not* part of the Constitution itself; this comes up again). That law says if one member of the House and one member of the Senate raise objections, Congress must debate.