Grassley Says Pence Will Skip Electoral Vote Certification

Sen. Charles Grassley (R-IA), the Senate president pro tempore, says he and not Vice President Mike Pence will preside over the certification of Electoral College votes, since “we don’t expect him to be there,” Roll Call reports.

Grassley also said he will listen to debate and that “it would be really wrong for me to say I have my mind made up.”

A Grassley spokesman later clarified to the New York Times that the senator does not “have any indication Pence won’t be present,” although that’s exactly what he said.