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President Donald J. Trump speaks on the phone as he arrives back at the White House after golfing at Trump National Golf Club on Saturday, November 14, 2020 in Washington, D.C. (Photo: Al Drago for The Washington Post via Getty Images)
Trump Accused of 'Criminal Extortion' After Asking Georgia Officials to 'Find' 11,000 Votes for Him
"Knowing what Trump has said in leaked phone calls, just imagine what he's said in calls that weren't."
Jan 02, 2021
Days before the U.S. Congress is set to certify President-elect Joe Biden's victory in the November 3 election, political observers on Sunday demanded to know how much effort President Donald Trump has put into pressuring state officials into naming him as the winner, after the Washington Post released audio of Trump pleading with Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger to "find" more than 11,000 votes for him.
As the Post reported, Trump spoke with Raffensperger and Ryan Germany, general counsel to the secretary of state, warning that by certifying Georgia's election results--which showed Biden winning 49.5% of the vote to Trump's 49.3%, and taking the state's 16 electoral votes--the two are taking "a big risk" and potentially breaking the law.
Trump urged Raffensperger to simply tell the public that he "recalculated" the results and determined the president won the state, to which the secretary of state, also a Republican, told Trump, "The data you have is wrong."
The president soon thereafter took a more direct approach.
"So look," Trump said. "All I want to do is this. I just want to find 11,780 votes, which is one more than we have. Because we won the state."
Listen:
At one point the president asked Germany to substantiate baseless rumors that ballots which cast votes for Trump in Fulton County were "shredded" by poll workers and that Dominion, which supplied voting machines for the election, removed the machinery from polling places to unfairly swing the results in Biden's favor.
"No, Dominion has not moved any machinery out of Fulton County," Germany told Trump, adding, "I'm sure. I'm sure, Mr. President."
The president suggested at one point that as a Republican, Raffensperger should want to have an "accurate election"--or one that Trump won.
"We believe that we do have an accurate election," the secretary of state replied.
In a separate audio clip, Raffensperger reiterated, "We have to stand by our numbers. We believe our numbers are right."
Critics condemned the latest evidence that Trump, two months after the election, is actively attempting to undermine the will of American voters.
The phone call came several weeks after Raffensperger told the Post that Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) was among several Republicans both in and outside of Georgia who pressured the secretary of state to invalidate legally-cast ballots.
Should Trump's and other Republicans' attempts to swing Georgia's numbers in the president's favor succeed, Trump would gain only 16 electoral votes--far fewer than he would need to meet the 270 threshold to be declared the winner of the election.
That suggests, some said on social media, that the president and his allies have likely made or plan to make similar phone calls to other election officials in states where they've contested the results, including Pennsylvania and Michigan.
If somehow Trump had been successful in his call with Raffensperger, it would have only taken him to 248 electoral votes. He'd still be short of the 270 he needs.
Did Trump make more calls to Secretaries of State in WI, MI, and AZ? I'd bet on it.
-- Max Berger (@maxberger) January 3, 2021
"Everyone who has a tape of Trump abusing his power should release it now," tweeted former U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara.
We are at a crossroads
This country and this world are at a monumental crossroads. US voters have an opportunity to beat back the forces of fascism and confront the billionaires who are rigging the economy, our media system, and our democracy, making it increasingly impossible for ordinary people to get by. We’re not just talking about the election. We’re talking about what must be done once these fascist elements are vanquished from power. We need a bolder set of solutions than what either major party has so far been willing to offer and a working-class movement ready to fight like hell for it. Trump didn't emerge from nowhere. The conditions that fueled MAGA authoritarianism were created by decades of radical neoliberal economic policies and a corrupt political system dominated by corporate interests. They slashed taxes on the super-rich, promising that the benefits would trickle down. They said giveaways to the corporate titans would make life more affordable for the rest of us. It was all bullshit. And when a bitter, betrayed populace searches for someone to blame, right-wing demagogues have little trouble finding scapegoats. People know when they're being lied to, but you won't hear any of this from the corporate media. Only independent journalism—powered and funded by people who believe in building a better world—can deliver truly trustworthy daily news. If you share our vision, please contribute whatever you can to sustain our work. |
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Days before the U.S. Congress is set to certify President-elect Joe Biden's victory in the November 3 election, political observers on Sunday demanded to know how much effort President Donald Trump has put into pressuring state officials into naming him as the winner, after the Washington Post released audio of Trump pleading with Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger to "find" more than 11,000 votes for him.
As the Post reported, Trump spoke with Raffensperger and Ryan Germany, general counsel to the secretary of state, warning that by certifying Georgia's election results--which showed Biden winning 49.5% of the vote to Trump's 49.3%, and taking the state's 16 electoral votes--the two are taking "a big risk" and potentially breaking the law.
Trump urged Raffensperger to simply tell the public that he "recalculated" the results and determined the president won the state, to which the secretary of state, also a Republican, told Trump, "The data you have is wrong."
The president soon thereafter took a more direct approach.
"So look," Trump said. "All I want to do is this. I just want to find 11,780 votes, which is one more than we have. Because we won the state."
Listen:
At one point the president asked Germany to substantiate baseless rumors that ballots which cast votes for Trump in Fulton County were "shredded" by poll workers and that Dominion, which supplied voting machines for the election, removed the machinery from polling places to unfairly swing the results in Biden's favor.
"No, Dominion has not moved any machinery out of Fulton County," Germany told Trump, adding, "I'm sure. I'm sure, Mr. President."
The president suggested at one point that as a Republican, Raffensperger should want to have an "accurate election"--or one that Trump won.
"We believe that we do have an accurate election," the secretary of state replied.
In a separate audio clip, Raffensperger reiterated, "We have to stand by our numbers. We believe our numbers are right."
Critics condemned the latest evidence that Trump, two months after the election, is actively attempting to undermine the will of American voters.
The phone call came several weeks after Raffensperger told the Post that Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) was among several Republicans both in and outside of Georgia who pressured the secretary of state to invalidate legally-cast ballots.
Should Trump's and other Republicans' attempts to swing Georgia's numbers in the president's favor succeed, Trump would gain only 16 electoral votes--far fewer than he would need to meet the 270 threshold to be declared the winner of the election.
That suggests, some said on social media, that the president and his allies have likely made or plan to make similar phone calls to other election officials in states where they've contested the results, including Pennsylvania and Michigan.
If somehow Trump had been successful in his call with Raffensperger, it would have only taken him to 248 electoral votes. He'd still be short of the 270 he needs.
Did Trump make more calls to Secretaries of State in WI, MI, and AZ? I'd bet on it.
-- Max Berger (@maxberger) January 3, 2021
"Everyone who has a tape of Trump abusing his power should release it now," tweeted former U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara.
Days before the U.S. Congress is set to certify President-elect Joe Biden's victory in the November 3 election, political observers on Sunday demanded to know how much effort President Donald Trump has put into pressuring state officials into naming him as the winner, after the Washington Post released audio of Trump pleading with Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger to "find" more than 11,000 votes for him.
As the Post reported, Trump spoke with Raffensperger and Ryan Germany, general counsel to the secretary of state, warning that by certifying Georgia's election results--which showed Biden winning 49.5% of the vote to Trump's 49.3%, and taking the state's 16 electoral votes--the two are taking "a big risk" and potentially breaking the law.
Trump urged Raffensperger to simply tell the public that he "recalculated" the results and determined the president won the state, to which the secretary of state, also a Republican, told Trump, "The data you have is wrong."
The president soon thereafter took a more direct approach.
"So look," Trump said. "All I want to do is this. I just want to find 11,780 votes, which is one more than we have. Because we won the state."
Listen:
At one point the president asked Germany to substantiate baseless rumors that ballots which cast votes for Trump in Fulton County were "shredded" by poll workers and that Dominion, which supplied voting machines for the election, removed the machinery from polling places to unfairly swing the results in Biden's favor.
"No, Dominion has not moved any machinery out of Fulton County," Germany told Trump, adding, "I'm sure. I'm sure, Mr. President."
The president suggested at one point that as a Republican, Raffensperger should want to have an "accurate election"--or one that Trump won.
"We believe that we do have an accurate election," the secretary of state replied.
In a separate audio clip, Raffensperger reiterated, "We have to stand by our numbers. We believe our numbers are right."
Critics condemned the latest evidence that Trump, two months after the election, is actively attempting to undermine the will of American voters.
The phone call came several weeks after Raffensperger told the Post that Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) was among several Republicans both in and outside of Georgia who pressured the secretary of state to invalidate legally-cast ballots.
Should Trump's and other Republicans' attempts to swing Georgia's numbers in the president's favor succeed, Trump would gain only 16 electoral votes--far fewer than he would need to meet the 270 threshold to be declared the winner of the election.
That suggests, some said on social media, that the president and his allies have likely made or plan to make similar phone calls to other election officials in states where they've contested the results, including Pennsylvania and Michigan.
If somehow Trump had been successful in his call with Raffensperger, it would have only taken him to 248 electoral votes. He'd still be short of the 270 he needs.
Did Trump make more calls to Secretaries of State in WI, MI, and AZ? I'd bet on it.
-- Max Berger (@maxberger) January 3, 2021
"Everyone who has a tape of Trump abusing his power should release it now," tweeted former U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara.
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