Democratic Rep. Steve Cohen (Tenn.) introduced two constitutional amendments Thursday that would eliminate the Electoral College and stop presidents from pardoning themselves.
Cohen introduced the bills the same day Democrats took control of the House and Nancy Pelosi retook her position as speaker. The bills also come as President Donald Trump faces continued pressure from federal investigators looking into Russia’s involvement in the 2016 presidential election.
“Presidents should not pardon themselves, their families, their administration or campaign staff,” Cohen said in a statement. “This constitutional amendment would expressly prohibit this and any future president, from abusing the pardon power.”
“Americans expect and deserve the winner of the popular vote to win office.”
- Rep. Steve Cohen (D-Tenn.)
Another bill would get rid of the Electoral College, an archaic system of electing presidents that allowed Trump to win the presidency despite his rival, Hillary Clinton, receiving millions more votes.
“In two presidential elections since 2000, including the most recent one in which Hillary Clinton won 2.8 million more votes than her opponent, the winner of the popular vote did not win the election because of the distorting effect of the outdated Electoral College,” Cohen said in his statement. “Americans expect and deserve the winner of the popular vote to win office. More than a century ago, we amended our Constitution to provide for the direct election of U.S. Senators. It is past time to directly elect our President and Vice President.”
As The Hill points out, the amendments are unlikely to move forward since they require a two-thirds vote in both chambers of Congress before being ratified by three-fourths of the states.