How Donald Trump’s week could be about to go from bad to worse
Cami Mondeaux
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After days of personal losses and political blows, former President Donald Trump may be poised to encounter another defeat this week as lawmakers prepare to pass legislation set to overhaul how Congress counts electoral votes.
Lawmakers on Tuesday unveiled the latest version of the $1.7 trillion government funding bill that includes the Electoral College Reform Act, which seeks to raise the required number of objections to Electoral College votes in order to block vote certification. The legislation comes in response to the 2020 election when Trump sought to use the statute to stop President Joe Biden’s victory from being certified.
The ECRA raises that minimum threshold from just one member in each chamber to one-fifth of members in each chamber in order for lawmakers to block electoral certification. The legislation would also replace unclear language clarifying the roles of federal and state officials in certifying presidential elections and establish guidelines for a peaceful transfer of power by providing federal resources to the president- and vice president-elect.
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The measure would be included in the omnibus funding package, which lawmakers hope to vote on by the end of this week to avoid a government shutdown.
The inclusion of the ECRA deals a blow to Trump just one day after the House Committee investigating the Jan. 6 riot at the Capitol voted to issue four criminal referrals against the former president. Those charges include obstruction of an official proceeding of Congress; conspiracy to make false statements and defraud the United States government; and efforts to “incite,” “assist,” or “aid and comfort” an insurrection.
Adding on to the pile of losses for the former president, the legislation also comes after the House Ways and Means Committee voted on Tuesday to release a trove of documents detailing Trump’s tax returns, giving public access to long-awaited information related to his financial records.
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That release, which is expected to come in the following days, will include information on six years’ worth of Trump’s tax returns, such as the former president’s tax payments, charitable donations, and other financial obligations. It’s not clear when the full trove of documents will be released to the public, as the panel must first redact any sensitive information, such as Social Security numbers and bank account information.
The triple punch comes at a crucial time for Trump as he seeks a third White House bid and attempts to fight off a handful of other criminal investigations.