WASHINGTON, D.C. (WJPF) — Illinois Congressman Mike Bost (R-Murphysboro) is standing by his decision to object to the certification of certain state’s elector college votes.

Bost released the following statement Thursday morning:

“As a United States representative, I swore an oath to uphold and defend the Constitution, no matter how difficult or divisive the issue at hand. And when it comes to certifying a state’s electoral votes, the Constitution is clear: state legislatures set the rules for states in conducting their elections. However, that simply was not the case in certain states in 2020.

Two states in particular, Pennsylvania and Arizona, faced objections in the House and Senate to their electoral vote allocations, prompting floor votes in both chambers. I voted to object to the electoral votes of both states because, in my belief, they failed to meet that constitutional standard. The deeply troubling scenes at the U.S. Capitol yesterday indicate the intense distrust that many Americans have towards the election process. If we have any hope of restoring that faith and healing the deep divisions in our country, our efforts must be rooted in constitutional principles and fair elections.”

The U.S. Congress formally certified Democrats Joe Biden and Kamala Harris as the winners of the 2020 presidential election in the pre-dawn hours Thursday.