A Republican member of the Electoral College says he will not cast his ballot for President-elect Donald Trump.
“One of the reasons I’m no longer comfortable supporting Mr. Trump is his attacks on our institutions, including the First Amendment and the Constitution,” Texas elector Chris Suprun said during an interview Tuesday on MSNBC’s “Andrea Mitchell Reports.”
{mosads}”He’s attacked our free election process,” Suprun continued, adding he is also concerned by how Trump’s vast business empire may influence his decisions in the Oval Office.
“Objectively, as an elector, I can look at the emoluments clause and say, ‘Look, Mr. Trump, you are making sales calls with your foreign policy,’ ” he said. “This is expressly forbidden in the Constitution and it’s a danger to our republic.
“I think the Electoral College is exactly the right process to look at a candidate and say, ‘Hey, we need to pull an emergency brake.’ The Electoral College is here to do exactly what I think I’m doing, which is standing up and saying, ‘No.’ ”
Suprun said he couldn’t support Vice President-elect Mike Pence as an alternative to Trump, admitting he favored Ohio Gov. John Kasich instead. Kasich told electors on Tuesday that they should not vote for him, arguing it would only worsen national tensions.
“I think Mr. Pence has probably aligned himself too closely with Mr. Trump,” Suprun said. “So I’m not sure Mr. Pence would be my candidate. I’m looking for someone with executive experience. I’m looking for someone with legislative experience.
“Perhaps the easiest person out there to identify would be John Kasich. I’m open to others, but really, he’s the low-hanging fruit that has those qualifications and has held leadership before.”
Trump clinched 306 electoral votes on Nov. 8, but some electors are trying to deny him the 270 votes necessary to win the White Houe. Members of the Electoral College are slated to meet Dec. 19 to cast their official votes for president.