On Thursday, before the Supreme Court's Friday dismissal of the Texas Attorney General's lawsuit to overturn the presidential-election results, Texas Senator Ted Cruz respondedto the efforts by President Trump and his Republican groupies with a comment about President-Elect Biden's Cabinet nominations: "As long as there's litigation ongoing, and the election result is disputed, I do not think you will see the Senate act to confirm any nominee." This may sound like a time could come when the Senate might start the confirmation process, but Cruz's principle makes it possible to never start the process at all – all Republicans have to do is continue to invent ways to "dispute" the result. (Andrew Shields, #111words, 12 December)

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"As long as ... the election result is disputed"