[ad_1]
Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger mentioned Monday that the info President Donald Trump cited to him all through an hour-long telephone name Saturday to assert there was rampant voter fraud within the state’s presidential election “is just plain wrong.”
“He did most of the talking. We did most of the listening but I did want to make my points that the data that he has is just plain wrong,” Raffensperger mentioned of the extraordinary name throughout an unique interview with ABC News Chief Anchor George Stephanopoulos on “Good Morning America.”
“He had hundreds and hundreds of people he said that were dead that voted. We found two, that’s an example of just — he has bad data,” he mentioned.
Audio of the beautiful telephone name was first obtained by The Washington Post however then additionally obtained by ABC News.
In the decision, Trump, citing debunked and dismissed conspiracy theories about election fraud in Georgia, repeatedly demanded that Raffensperger “find” sufficient votes to ship the president a win in The Peach State, wrongly claiming it’s “not possible” for him to have misplaced the election there. President-elect Joe Biden was the primary Democratic presidential candidate to win Georgia since 1992, however his slim victory got here after years of demographic shifts and efforts amongst get together activists to get out the Democratic vote.
“Did you feel the pressure when he said ‘find’ the votes?” Stephanopoulos pressed.
“No,” Raffensperger mentioned. “We have to follow the process, follow the law. Everything we’ve done for the last 12 months follows the constitution of the state of Georgia, follows the United States Constitution, follows state law.”
During the decision, Trump accused Raffensperger of participating in legal acts, claiming that election staff had been shredding ballots, which the secretary’s normal counsel, Ryan Germany, mentioned was not true. The president alleged Raffensperger was overlaying it up.
“It’s more illegal for you than it is for them because you know what they did and you’re not reporting it — that’s the — you know, that’s a criminal, that’s a criminal offense. And, you know you can’t let that happen. That’s — that’s a big risk to you and Ryan (Germany), your lawyer, that’s a big risk,” Trump mentioned in the course of the name.
On “Good Morning America,” Stephanopoulos requested Raffensperger whether or not he thought the dialog with the president was lawful and whether or not he would launch an investigation, which State Election Board member David Worley requested he do by way of e mail Sunday night time.
“Did you consider it a lawful request when the president asked you to find the votes?” Stephanopoulos requested.
“I’m not a lawyer. All I know is that we’re gonna follow the law, follow the process. Truth matters, and we’ve been fighting these rumors for the last two months,” the secretary replied.
Raffensperger mentioned that because the normal election, he and his workplace have “been fighting a rumor Whac-A-Mole” every day, however that hasn’t stopped the president from persevering with to unfold them.
“It was pretty obvious very early on that we debunked every one of those theories that had been out there, but President Trump continues to believe them,” he mentioned.
On launching an investigation by the State Election Board, Raffensperger mentioned there “may be a conflict of interest” due to his dialog with the president, and one other dialog he mentioned Trump had along with his workplace’s chief investigator following the completion of the signature match audit in Cobb County, which the Georgia Bureau of Investigation mentioned uncovered “no fraudulent absentee ballots.”
However, he mentioned that he understands the Fulton County District Attorney “wants to look at” potential authorized motion: “Maybe that’s the appropriate venue for it to go.”
Stephanopoulos additionally requested the secretary, who supported the president’s reelection, whether or not he would vote for Trump once more.
“I support Republicans, always have. I probably always will,” Raffensperger mentioned.
“So, you’d vote for him again?” Stephanopoulos pressed.
“Well, President Trump is not on the ballot in 2024 right now so we’ll just have to wait and see what would happen,” the secretary mentioned.
In addition to pressuring Raffensperger to attempt to overturn the election in his favor, Trump additionally attacked the secretary — and Republican Gov. Brian Kemp — on the decision.
“(People) hate the state. They hate the governor, and they hate the Secretary of State, I will tell you that right now. And the only people that like you are people that will never vote for you, you know that Brad, right?” Trump mentioned earlier than the decision wrapped.
[ad_2]
Source link
