Pence rejects Trump's demand to interfere in vote count

By Michael Hernandez

WASHINGTON (AA) - US Vice President Mike Pence rejected outgoing President Donald Trump's demand Wednesday that he interfere in Congress's counting of Electoral College votes, just minutes before lawmakers were set to convene in a rare joint session.

The largely pro forma meeting will eventually declare President-elect Joe Biden the winner of the Nov. 3 presidential contest, although it will be significantly dragged out as some Republicans in the House of Representatives and the Senate have vowed to raise objections.

Pence said in a letter to Congress that he cannot claim "unilateral authority" to decide America's next commander-in-chief, but vowed to hear objections raised by lawmakers.

The letter was distributed minutes after Trump told supporters at a rally near the National Mall that he would be "very disappointed" if the hitherto loyalist vice president did not heed his demands.