Federal Judge (Who Was Nominated By Clinton) Tells Electors They Must Vote For Statewide Winner, Called Lawsuit A ‘Political Stunt’

Matt Vespa | December 13, 2016 3:30 PM

Well, the Hamilton Electors just got punched in the mouth with their long shot lawsuit to free electors who are bound by their statewide results. A federal judge nominated by then-President Bill Clinton told two Colorado electors who filed the lawsuit that they must vote for whoever won their state in the 2016 election, throwing a massive wet blanket on the hail Mary attempt by this group to block President-elect Donald J. Trump from assuming the presidency. In fact, that’s exactly what the judge said, calling the whole exercise a political stunt that could disrupt a peaceful transition. While Clinton won Colorado, there are actually some electors who don't want to vote for her on December 19 (via AP):

A federal judge dealt a severe setback Monday to a longshot plan to deny Donald Trump the presidency through the Electoral College, refusing to suspend a Colorado law requiring the state's nine electors to vote for the presidential candidate who won the state in November.

U.S. District Judge Wiley Daniel denied a request by two Colorado electors who contended that the law binding their vote to Colorado vote winner Hillary Clinton violated their First Amendment rights and the intents of the Constitution's framers. The electors had sought the right to vote for someone other than Clinton in order to unite behind a consensus Republican other than Trump when the Electoral College convenes on Dec. 19.

Daniel found that suspending the Colorado requirement would have harmed the state's voters and jeopardized a peaceful presidential transition. "Part of me thinks this is really a political stunt to prevent Donald Trump from becoming president," said Daniel, who was nominated to the bench by Bill Clinton in 1995.

These electors recently formed a 527 group to raise money for such legal battles, hoping they can be released from their respective state laws concerning binding the statewide vote to the Electoral College vote. The alternative candidate for these cadre of electors was Ohio Gov. John Kasich, who bluntly rejected the maneuver and said he would not accept whatever may come of this futile bid to stop Trump. Like the Green Party’s Jill Stein recount shenanigans, it’s time for everyone who is still shell-shocked over Trump’s upset win to accept it. It’s been weeks since Election Day 2016. The game is over. Period. Trump will be our next president.