“Get rid of the ballots and there won’t be a transfer”
During a White House news briefing when asked the question if he loses this year’s election would he commit to a peaceful transfer of power, Trump was quick to reply with a vague non-answer, “We’re going to have to see what happens. You know that,” he said. He then took the opportunity, instead, and, quite predictably, make continued unsubstantiated claims about the reliability of the vote-by-mail ballots.
He later commented “Get rid of the ballots and you’ll have a very peaceful -There won’t be a transfer, frankly, there will be a continuation.” The reporter, Brian Karem who questioned Trump on Wednesday, September 23, 2020 took to his social media and commented: “This is the most frightening answer I have ever received to any question I have ever asked.
The reporter, Brian Karem, who asked Trump the question Wednesday, September 24, 2020
This is the most frightening answer I have ever received to any question I have ever asked. I’ve interviewed convicted killers with more empathy. @realDonaldTrump is advocating Civil War.
Brian Karem
I’ve interviewed convicted killers with more empathy. @realDonaldTrump is advocating Civil War.” Trump refusing and skirting around the subject of a transfer of power, continues to cast grave uncertainty on how the November election will play out, and its aftermath.
It is beyond unusual that a sitting president would have the audacity to publicly express anything other than confidence in how the electoral process will be handled. Yet it isn’t surprising, given Trump’s track record.
Four years ago he also declined to honor the election result if Hillary Clinton won. After the 2016 election he also made unsubstantiated claims that ?millions” of illegal votes were cast for Hillary. Not a single one of those he spoke of has been proven to be illegal.
Less than 40 days and Trump can test his plan
With the election just 40 days away, many in the Republican party pushed back against Trump’s refusal to commit to a peaceful transition of power. At once, appearing to intend to clarify that there definitely would be a transfer of power, presumably in the event of a definitive Biden win, yet with most statements also dismissing the president’s comment as a hypothetical situation.
“The winner of the November 3rd election will be inaugurated on January 20th. There will be an orderly transition just as there has been every four years since 1792”.
Mitch McConnell
“Fundamental to democracy is the peaceful transition of power; without that, there is Belarus,” Mr. Romney wrote. “Any suggestion that a president might not respect this Constitutional guarantee is both unthinkable and unacceptable.”
Mitt Romney
“The peaceful transfer of power is enshrined in our Constitution and fundamental to the survival of our Republic. America’s leaders swear an oath to the Constitution. We will uphold the oath.”
