Minnesota Elector Refuses to Vote for Clinton

electors-mnLiberals have been twisting arms all over the country in an unprecedented effort to undermine the outcome of the 2016 election favoring Donald Trump in the Electoral College.

But when the votes were counted today in Minnesota, it was Hillary Clinton who lost electoral support at least momentarily.

A crowd of about 100 protesters were on hand to greet the ten members of Minnesota’s Electoral College Assembly who were bound to cast their electoral votes for Clinton. Or were they?

The electors met to give Clinton the state’s votes after she won the popular vote in Minnesota by 44,765 votes.

Muhammad Abdurrahman, one of the 10 electors, voted for Sen. Bernie Sanders, making him a so-called “faithless elector.” He was replaced by an alternate, as required by law, who voted for Clinton.

Abdurrahman, who was a Sanders delegate to the Democratic National Convention, did not say he was protesting Trump; rather, he was protesting the Minnesota law that requires the electors to cast their ballot for the Minnesota popular vote winner.simon

Secretary of State Steve Simon has been a supporter of National Popular Vote, a campaign to eliminate the Electoral College system and provide for direct presidential elections. But in his current capacity, Simon did what the job requires. He replaced Abdurrahman with an alternate who voted as required under the law.

Inside the packed meeting room at the state’s new Senate office building, a few Minnesotans said in raised voices that Secretary of State Steve Simon — who presided over the proceedings — and electors should delay the vote or abstain until a proper investigation of Russian interference in the election.

In Minnesota fashion, the demonstrators inside the assembly were not particularly disruptive. State Patrol made no effort to silence or remove them.

Laura Flynn and Mike Rollin, both of Minneapolis, said after the ceremony that they were opposed to the Electoral College system of choosing a president and said the electors could not make informed choices without a full investigation of Russian influence in the November election.

Simon, elected as a DFLer in 2014 after serving in the Minnesota House, said he was required by law and Constitution to proceed with the assembly.