Supreme Court rejects last-minute election plea

The nation’s highest court told Texas it did not have legal standing to challenge election procedures in four states where Joe Biden got more votes than President Donald Trump. At least 18 other states supported the lawsuit claiming Georgia, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin made unconstitutional changes to voting procedures that undermined the integrity of the presidential election. “Texas has not demonstrated a judicially cognizable interest in the manner in which another state conducts its elections,” the justices stated in a brief order issued late Friday afternoon.

Did they say anything else? Justices Samuel Alito and Clarence Thomas said they would have accepted Texas’ filing of the suit as a matter under the court’s original jurisdiction but would “not grant other relief.” The petition asked the justices to block the four defendant states from participating in Monday’s Electoral College vote, which could have interrupted and possibly blocked Biden’s path to the White House. The vote is scheduled to take place Monday, with Biden expected to win 306 electors to Trump’s 232.

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