Georgia Election Head Says No Evidence Of Fraud In Second Recount, Slams Trump For ‘Violent Rhetoric’
Topline
As he criticized President Trump for creating a threatening environment for election officials, Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger said Wednesday authorities have found no evidence of fraud during the state’s second recount and indicated that President-elect Joe Biden’s victory will stand.
ATLANTA, GA – NOVEMBER 06: Georgia Secretary of State Ben Raffensperger holds a press conference on … [+]
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Key Facts
Dismissing false allegations of fraud, the Republican said Biden would prevail in the state he won by about 12,000 votes: “It looks like Vice President Biden will be carrying Georgia, and he is our president-elect,” Raffensperger told reporters.
County election officials have until noon on Friday to certify their election results, Raffensperger said.
The Trump campaign has requested a second recount—which was a machine recount—after the first recount cut Biden’s lead by about 1,200 votes.
One day after Georgia voting systems manager Gabriel Sterling delivered an emphatic plea to Trump to accept the results, saying “someone” would get killed if not, Raffensperger said he supported his colleague and his demands.
Raffensperger said that even after his office requested Trump “quell the violent rhetoric being born out of his continued claims of winning the states where he obviously lost,” the president has continued to issue incendiary statements; “This is exactly the kind of language that is the base of a growing threat environment for election workers who are doing their jobs,” he said.
The secretary of state noted his findings were congruent with those of Attorney General Bill Barr, who told the Associated Press Tuesday the Justice Department has found no evidence of fraud.
Chief Critic
Sterling said a 20-year-old contractor for Dominion Voting Systems—a company Trump and his allies have baselessly accused of rigging the 2020 election—has received death threats, including a noose with his name labeled on it. “Mr. President, you have not condemned these actions or this language. Senators, you have not condemned this language or these actions,” Sterling said Tuesday. “This has to stop. We need you to step up. And if you’re going to take a position of leadership — show some.”
Surprising Fact
Swing state counties that used Dominion Voting Systems machines “mostly” voted for Trump, not Biden, according to the Washington Post.
What To Watch For
Raffensperger said officials have begun new probes into voter fraud surrounding the two January 5 Senate runoff elections, including whether individuals were trying to register deceased or out of state voters.
Further Reading
Barr Defies Trump, Says No Evidence Of Voter Fraud That Could Change Election Result (Forbes)
Georgia Election Official Demands Trump Accept Results, Warns ‘Someone’s Going To Get Killed’ If Not (Forbes)
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