our democracy. Charges of unfairness are serious. But calling an election unfair does not make it so. Charges require specific allegations and then proof. We have neither here.”[1] The U.S. Supreme Court itself denied numerous emergency applications aimed at overturning the election results; in response, President Trump tweeted that our highest court is “totally incompetent and weak on the massive Election Fraud that took place in the 2020 Presidential Election.”[2]
President Trump had the right to seek redress through the legal system. But he turned to improper and abusive means of staying in power when it became clear that the courts were unconvinced by his claims. Specifically, he launched a pressure campaign initially aimed at state election officials that soon expanded to the Department of Justice and Members of Congress.
Starting in mid-November, President Trump brought the full power of his office to bear on state officials, pushing them to overturn and block certification of the election results by any means necessary. He pursued this agenda through tweets, phone calls, and meetings with officials, seeking at every opportunity to reverse the election so that he could remain in office.[3] For example, despite clear evidence of President Biden’s victory in Michigan, President Trump issued false accusations that “[t]he Democrats cheated big time and got caught.”[4] He personally lobbied two members of the Board of Canvassers for Wayne County to rescind their prior votes in favor of certifying the election results.[5] He also (unsuccessfully) tried to induce Michigan’s top Republican legislative
- ↑ Donald J. Trump For President v. Boockvar, No. 20-3371 (3d Cir. Nov. 27, 2020).
- ↑ Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump), Twitter (Dec. 26, 2020 8:51 AM).
- ↑ Maggie Haberman et al., Trump Targets Michigan in His Ploy to Subvert the Election, N.Y. Times (Nov. 19, 2020);
Amy Gardner et al., Trump asks Pennsylvania House Speaker for Help Overturning Election Results, Personally Intervening in a Third State, Wash. Post (Dec. 8, 2020);
Ryan Randazzo et al., Arizona Legislature ‘Cannot and Will Not’ Overturn Election, Republican House Speaker Says, Arizona Republic (Dec. 4, 2020). - ↑ Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump), Twitter (Nov. 18, 2020) (“The Great State of Michigan, with votes being far greater than the number of people who voted, cannot certify the election. The Democrats cheated big time, and got caught. A Republican WIN!”)
- ↑ Kendall Karson et al., Republican Canvassers Ask To ‘Rescind’ Their Votes Certifying Michigan Election Results, ABC News (Nov. 19, 2020)
