“Reality is that which, when you stop believing in it, doesn't go away.”--Philip K. Dick
Yes, it was for show. The only Electoral votes which count are those accepted by the Archivist of the United States, and the Archivist only accepted the *official * results voted on during the 14th of December.
The unofficial Electoral votes went right into the trash.
He claimed that Pence was about to be arrested for treason, and that Pompeo would step in and "save the election".
The chances of:
A. Pence being arrested for treason. B. Pence being impeached and forced to resign (which is the only way he could be compelled to vacate the Vice-Presidency). C. Pompeo being elevated to the Vice-Presidency (which requires buy-in from both the House and the Senate; I'm dubious that Pelosi would play ball).
...all happening within the next *five *days are nonexistent. Thus, Wood is talking out his ass. Recognizing this is a sign of mental strength and lack of gullibility.
IAWTP. Lin Wood is just another bottom-feeder swimming in Trump's wake, another bullshit artist incompetent at what he's set out to do but all too adept at separating fools from their money.
Why bother?
Like, allegations that Pence is going to be arrested for treason and executed appeal to the Q crowd. It's not going to happen, however, so Wood is effectively marginalizing himself by making outlandish, factually wrong claims (e.g. were Pence to be removed from office, Pompeo would not automatically assume the position of VP.)
As the Electoral Count Act of 1887 is enshrined within law--and has been for over 130 years--the role of the Archivist is clear. Remember a week ago, when people were jerking off over the "Pence Card" which ultimately amounted to nothing? The role of the Archivist is how I knew that it was BS.
And I think it's more of an *illusion *of a Constitutional crisis than an actual one. I get how people want there to be a Constitutional crisis, but consider: despite all of the lawsuits, all of the external pressure, all of the hearings, the process since November 3rd has unfolded *exactly *as outlined in the Constitution and the various interpretory statutes, with no deviations; the train is still on the rails. To paraphrase MacBeth, everything else is sound and fury.
The problem is that Pence, Congress, et. al. make their determination in re: electors per the Office of the Federal Register/Archivist of the United States. Per US law, the only electoral results Pence can act upon--in effect, the only valid electoral results--are those presented by the Archivist:
...it shall be the duty of the executive of such State, as soon as practicable after such determination, to communicate under the seal of the State to the Archivist of the United States a certificate of such determination in form and manner as the same shall have been made; and the certificate or certificates so received by the Archivist of the United States shall be preserved by him for one year and shall be a part of the public records of his office and shall be open to public inspection; and the Archivist of the United States at the first meeting of Congress thereafter shall transmit to the two Houses of Congress copies in full of each and every such certificate so received at the National Archives and Records Administration [emphasis mine].
Note this page at the National Archives; there is only one result per state, and that's what Pence has to act upon.
Meister is a real-estate and business litigation attorney. In re: constitutional law, he's way over his head.
It was never a case of pre-authorization. Per the law, Congress can only act upon the Electors sent to them by the Archivist:
The Archivist only accepted and transmitted one set of certificates.