McConnell Backs Trump’s Refusal To Concede Despite Decisive Election Result

President Donald Trump and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) make their way to a Senate Republican policy lunch at the US Capitol on May 15, 2018. (Photo credit: MANDEL NGAN/AFP via Getty Images)
Start your day with TPM.
Sign up for the Morning Memo newsletter

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) on Monday threw his support behind President Donald Trump’s undemocratic rejection of the election results that led to his defeat at the hands of President-elect Joe Biden.

Amid the President’s evidence-free claims about “illegal” votes and his slew of lawsuits aimed at bolstering those accusations, McConnell backed Trump’s weaponization of the courts during a speech on the Senate floor.

Trump has “every right to look into allegations and to request recounts under the law,” McConnell argued.

“If any major irregularities occurred this time of a magnitude that would effect the outcome, then every single American should want them to be brought to light,” he said. “And if Democrats feel confident they have not occurred, they should have no reason to fear any extra scrutiny.”

The Senate leader’s final jab struck a note of irony given how Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) pressed him on a similar point when McConnell refused to allow witnesses or evidence of Trump’s Ukraine scandal to be presented at the impeachment trial earlier this year.

Watch McConnell below:

Latest News

Notable Replies

  1. McConnell has made a serious mistake. A grievous miscalculation.

  2. “If any major irregularities occurred this time of a magnitude that would effect the outcome, then every single American should want them to be brought to light,” [McConnell] said. “And if Democrats feel confident they have not occurred, they should have no reason to fear any extra scrutiny.”

    Maybe Amy McGrath, McConnell’s own election opponent, should take this cue.

  3. As absurd that this is, it’s becoming dangerous.

  4. The alternate reality that the right lives in needs to be confronted head on. There is no need at this moment for understanding reconciliation. There’s a need for some tough forced reality checking. I hope the new admin figures it out.

Continue the discussion at forums.talkingpointsmemo.com

420 more replies

Participants

Avatar for jw1 Avatar for mattinpa Avatar for cervantes Avatar for inversion Avatar for christianhankel Avatar for ralph_vonholst Avatar for 26degreesrising Avatar for grandpajoe Avatar for leftcoaster Avatar for schmed Avatar for fiftygigs Avatar for darrtown Avatar for tribalogical Avatar for tena Avatar for jinnj Avatar for misterneutron Avatar for Anarchy_Bunker Avatar for castor_troy Avatar for counterlife Avatar for heartflow Avatar for rascal_crone Avatar for emiliano4 Avatar for Scoutmom Avatar for bkz

Continue Discussion
Masthead Masthead
Founder & Editor-in-Chief:
Executive Editor:
Managing Editor:
Deputy Editor:
Editor at Large:
General Counsel:
Publisher:
Head of Product:
Director of Technology:
Associate Publisher:
Front End Developer:
Senior Designer: