A Republican member of the Electoral College vowed Monday that he will not cast his vote for Donald Trump, saying the president-elect lacks the necessary foreign policy experience and demeanor to be commander-in-chief.
In an op-ed in the New York Times, Texas elector Christoper Suprun called on other electors to reject Trump and to instead unify behind former presidential candidate Gov. John Kasich of Ohio.
"The election of the next president is not yet a done deal. Electors of conscience can still do the right thing for the good of the country," Suprun wrote.
"Presidential electors have the legal right and a constitutional duty to vote their conscience. I believe electors should unify behind a Republican alternative, an honorable and qualified man or woman such as Gov. John Kasich of Ohio. I pray my fellow electors will do their job and join with me in discovering who that person should be."
Suprun criticized Trump for picking advisers like Stephen Bannon and retired Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn, as well as for the multiple conflicts of interest with his business once he takes office.
Suprun, who was a first responder to the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, wrote that he would again "defend my country and Constitution against all enemies, foreign and domestic," by voting against Trump.
If Suprun follows through on his promise not to vote for Trump when the Electoral College meets on Dec. 19, he'll become the first "faithless elector" since 2004, according to fairvote.org.
More than three dozen more electors would need to defect to deny Trump the 270 votes he needs to win the presidency. A group in Colorado and Washington state is also considering an effort to convince Republican Electoral College voters to cast their votes for Kasich.
While Texas doesn't have any laws requiring electors vote for whoever won its electoral votes, 29 states issue a variety of rarely enforced punishments, including fines and misdemeanors.
In an op-ed in the New York Times, Texas elector Christoper Suprun called on other electors to reject Trump and to instead unify behind former presidential candidate Gov. John Kasich of Ohio.
"The election of the next president is not yet a done deal. Electors of conscience can still do the right thing for the good of the country," Suprun wrote.
"Presidential electors have the legal right and a constitutional duty to vote their conscience. I believe electors should unify behind a Republican alternative, an honorable and qualified man or woman such as Gov. John Kasich of Ohio. I pray my fellow electors will do their job and join with me in discovering who that person should be."
Suprun criticized Trump for picking advisers like Stephen Bannon and retired Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn, as well as for the multiple conflicts of interest with his business once he takes office.
Suprun, who was a first responder to the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, wrote that he would again "defend my country and Constitution against all enemies, foreign and domestic," by voting against Trump.
If Suprun follows through on his promise not to vote for Trump when the Electoral College meets on Dec. 19, he'll become the first "faithless elector" since 2004, according to fairvote.org.
More than three dozen more electors would need to defect to deny Trump the 270 votes he needs to win the presidency. A group in Colorado and Washington state is also considering an effort to convince Republican Electoral College voters to cast their votes for Kasich.
While Texas doesn't have any laws requiring electors vote for whoever won its electoral votes, 29 states issue a variety of rarely enforced punishments, including fines and misdemeanors.
