theguardian--2020-11-13--Biden moves forward with transition as US grapples with Covid surge – as it happened

Despite the fact that the president-elect , Joe Biden , leads in the popular vote by at least 5 million people , and despite the fact that he has significant leads in five key states , Donald Trump has baselessly claimed that the election is rigged against him .
He ’ s weaponizing those claims to undermine the election results , to cast doubt on the democratic process , and to try to convince the American people that he is the true winner .
These are his tactics : Litigation : The Trump campaign has lodged a slew of baseless @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that range from “ dead people voted ” to “ ballots that arrived late are being counted ” .
So far , as our reporter Sam Levine wrote this week , judges have ruled against the campaign in almost every instance , citing a lack of evidence .
Undermining the media : Trump and his supporters are even railing against Fox News because it called the election for Biden .
Federal investigation : William Barr , the attorney general , has authorized federal prosecutors to investigate election irregularities , an unprecedented move that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s election crimes unit to step down .
Calling on enablers : Trump is relying on figures such as Ken Starr ; the lieutenant governor in Texas ; and J Christian Adams , a former justice department official , to continue their crusade against so-called voter fraud .
Not really .
Though the lawsuits continue , and the US supreme court has a conservative majority , it ’ s very unlikely that Trump can manipulate the levers of democracy and the safeguards in place .
As Sam Levine has written , there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by Republicans before the election , that Republican-friendly legislatures in places like Michigan , Wisconsin and Pennsylvania could ignore the popular vote in their states and appoint their own electors .
Federal law allows legislatures to do this if states have “ failed to make a choice ” by the day the electoral college meets .
But there is no evidence of systemic fraud or wrongdoing in any state , and Biden ’ s commanding margins in these places make it clear that the states have in fact made a choice .
More @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and sign up for the Fight to Vote newsletter :

Maanvi Singh (now) and Joan E Greve (earlier)

13 Nov 2020 02.47 GMT Summary That’s all from us for today. Here’s a recap from me and Joan E Greve: Joe Biden moved forward with his transition, as Donald Trump still refuses to concede that he lost the presidential election. The president-elect named longtime adviser Ron Klain as his chief of staff last night, and Biden’s transition team said he spoke to Pope Francis this morning.
The president-elect named longtime adviser as his chief of staff last night, and Biden’s transition team said he spoke to this morning. A growing number of Republicans are calling for Biden to start receiving classified briefings. Presidents-elect usually have access to classified briefings after being declared the winner of the election, but the Trump administration has refused to acknowledge Biden’s victory. “Our adversaries aren’t going to wait for you to catch up to take action,” said Marco Rubio, the Republican chairman of the Senate intelligence committee.
Presidents-elect usually have access to classified briefings after being declared the winner of the election, but the has refused to acknowledge Biden’s victory. “Our adversaries aren’t going to wait for you to catch up to take action,” said the Republican chairman of the Senate intelligence committee. The Department of Homeland Security cybersecurity agency said the 2020 election “was the most secure in American history”. Contradicting messages from Trump and his allies, the agency said “there is no evidence that any voting system deleted or lost votes, changed votes, or was in any way compromised”.
Contradicting messages from Trump and his allies, the agency said “there is no evidence that any voting system deleted or lost votes, changed votes, or was in any way compromised”. November is on track to be the worst month of the pandemic so far in the US. Several mayors and governors are announcing new restrictions, including Chicago’s Lori Lightfoot , who announced a stay-at-home advisory starting Monday.
Several mayors and governors are announcing new restrictions, including Chicago’s , who announced a stay-at-home advisory starting Monday. Another 709,000 Americans submitted new claims for unemployment benefits last week , marking a decrease from a week earlier. But economists warn that unemployment numbers remain alarmingly high eight months into the pandemic, and the most recent surge in infections could do further harm to the US economy.
, marking a decrease from a week earlier. But economists warn that unemployment numbers remain alarmingly high eight months into the pandemic, and the most recent surge in infections could do further harm to the US economy. Corey Lewandowski, an outside adviser to Trump, tested positive for coronavirus. Lewandowski has been in Philadelphia in recent days, contesting Biden’s victory in Pennsylvania, where the Democrat currently leads by more than 50,000 votes. Several other Trump advisers, including White House chief of staff Mark Meadows, have tested positive since last week. Follow the Guardian’s live coronavirus coverage here: Coronavirus live news: quarter of deaths in France linked to Covid as US tops 140,000 daily cases Read more
13 Nov 2020 02.02 GMT Supreme court justice Samuel Alito, speaking at the conservative Federalist Society convention, said that the Obergefell decision, which affirmed the right to same-sex marriage, has led to the censorship of those who believe that marriage should be heterosexual. Mark Joseph Stern of Slate reports: Yikes. Alito condemns Obergefell, the same-sex marriage decision, and says it has led to censorship of people who believe marriage is “a union of one man and one woman.” Says freedom of speech is “falling out of favor in some circles.” — Mark Joseph Stern (@mjs_DC) November 13, 2020 Obergefell is one of the landmark cases that civil rights advocates fear will be reversed now that Trump appointee Amy Coney Barrett has clinched a conservative majority. More background here: Buttigieg to Fox News Sunday: Barrett nomination puts my marriage in danger Read more
Updated at 02.06 GMT
13 Nov 2020 01.34 GMT President scheduled to receive Operation Warp Speed briefing Operation Warp Speed is a Trump administration program to pursue Covid-19 vaccines and therapeutics. After several days with an empty schedule, amid reports that Trump has been disengaged from the day-to-day work of governing, even as coronavirus cases climb, the president’s public schedule says he will receive a briefing on vaccines and treatments tomorrow, which will be closed to press. Trump, who downplayed the coronavirus crisis in the lead-up to election day, has since largely refrained from weighing in on the latest surge in cases across the US. He has “fumed” that Pfizer announced progress in its vaccine trials after the election, the AP reports, citing an anonymous White House official. Ahead of the election, the president had promised a vaccine by election day, or soon after – presenting a timeline that public health experts said was unrealistic.
Updated at 02.07 GMT
13 Nov 2020 01.29 GMT David Smith What will Mike Pence do next after Trump’s election loss? Across the street from the British embassy, with its red telephone box and Winston Churchill statue, in Washington DC is the residence of the US-vice president. It has its own basketball court, on which Mike Pence reportedly installed a logo from the 1986 film Hoosiers starring Gene Hackman about small-town Indiana sports. Fortunately, the Washington Post noted a couple of years ago, the logo is removable. Pence, a former governor of Indiana, and his wife, Karen, will be packing their bags and moving out of the residence in January to make way for America’s first female vice-president, Senator Kamala Harris of California, and her husband Doug Emhoff. Said to have nurtured ambitions for the presidency since he was 16, Pence must now decide what to do with the rest of his life. Among the 61-year-old’s options: a return to his roots in conservative talk radio as a way to remain relevant in his party. “I think he would want to stay involved in Republican politics and probably in a more conventional way than the president,” said Michael D’Antonio, co-author of The Shadow President: The Truth About Mike Pence. “So he could be a broadcaster, and there’ll be lots of opportunity for that, but he would be nicer than Trump. Read more: What will Mike Pence do next after Trump's election loss? Read more
13 Nov 2020 00.57 GMT Joe Biden said he will raise the number of refugees that the US will admit annually to 125,000. During a video he recorded for the Jesuit Refugee Service 40th anniversary virtual celebration, Biden said: The United States has long stood as a beacon of hope for the downtrodden and the oppressed, a leader of resettling refugees in our humanitarian response. I promise, as president, I will reclaim that proud legacy for our country. The Biden-Harris administration will restore America’s historic role in protecting the vulnerable and defending the rights of refugees everywhere and raising our annual refugee admission target to 125,000. Joe Biden says in taped remarks to the Jesuit Refugee Service tonight that he will raise the refugee admissions cap to 125,000 -- higher than it's been in a couple decades. Just doesn't say when https://t.co/eBrhpqrWbg — Michelle Hackman (@MHackman) November 13, 2020 In October, the Trump administration capped the number of refugees the US will admit over the next financial year at 15,000. It is the lowest cap the US has set since the 1980 Refugee Act took effect.
13 Nov 2020 00.28 GMT Joe Biden advised against Osama bin Laden raid, Barack Obama writes Martin Pengelly Joe Biden advised Barack Obama to wait to order the raid that killed Osama bin Laden, the former president writes in his new memoir. “Joe weighed in against the raid,” Obama writes in A Promised Land, about discussion of the Navy Seals mission, which he ordered to go ahead as intended in Abbottabad, Pakistan, on the night of 1-2 May 2011. Obama’s book will be published on Tuesday. Guardian US has seen a copy. Obama writes that his vice-president, who will follow him to the White House in January, immediately supported his decision to proceed with the Bin Laden raid. Whether Biden advised against the raid has been a contentious issue in US politics. During this year’s election, Republican attack ads claimed Biden opposed taking Bin Laden out altogether. Biden has said that during group discussion of whether to order the raid, he advised Obama to take more time, saying: “Don’t go.” He has also said he subsequently told Obama to “follow your instincts”. In his memoir, Obama echoes the accounts of other senior aides present in the White House Situation Room nine years ago who have said Biden counseled caution. Like the defense secretary, Robert Gates, Obama writes, Biden was concerned about “the enormous consequences of failure” and counseled that the president “should defer any decision until the intelligence community was more certain that bin Laden was in the compound”. In the event, a Navy Seal team flew from Afghanistan to Pakistan and shot dead the al-Qaida leader, the mastermind of the 9/11 attacks. “As had been true in every major decision I’d made as president,” Obama writes, “I appreciated Joe’s willingness to buck the prevailing mood and ask tough questions, often in the interest of giving me the space I needed for my own internal deliberations.” Read more: Joe Biden advised against Osama bin Laden raid, Barack Obama writes Read more
13 Nov 2020 00.12 GMT In a preview of an upcoming interview with 60 Minutes, Barack Obama said Republicans who are humoring Donald Trump’s refusal to accept loss are on “a dangerous path”. “The president doesn’t like to lose and never admits loss,” Obama said. “I’m more troubled by the fact that other Republican officials who clearly know better are going along with this, are humoring him in this fashion,” he said. “It is one more step in delegitimizing not just the incoming Biden administration, but democracy generally. And that’s a dangerous path.” Barack Obama tells Scott Pelley Republicans who “go along with” the President’s claims of election fraud put democracy on “a dangerous path.”
The former president appears in his first interview about his new book “A Promised Land,” Sunday on 60 Minutes. https://t.co/S7MEAx3F8j pic.twitter.com/CRx6XkT0Na — 60 Minutes (@60Minutes) November 12, 2020
Updated at 00.30 GMT
12 Nov 2020 23.55 GMT DHS cybersecurity agency: 2020 election 'was the most secure in American history' The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) – a part of the Department of Homeland Security – said the 2020 election “was the most secure in American history”. In a joint statement with several other agencies, CISA assistant director Bob Kolasky said: “When states have close elections, many will recount ballots. All of the states with close results in the 2020 presidential race have paper records of each vote, allowing the ability to go back and count each ballot if necessary ... This process allows for the identification and correction of any mistakes or errors.” “There is no evidence that any voting system deleted or lost votes, changed votes, or was in any way compromised,” the statement reads. Donald Trump and his Republican allies have continued to spread misinformation and sow doubt on the integrity of the US election system. His campaign has continued to pursue longshot litigation to challenge vote counts, even as it is clear that there is no evidence of widespread voting irregularities.
Updated at 00.54 GMT
12 Nov 2020 23.16 GMT Coronavirus cases in Texas are continuing to climb at a rapid clip. Yesterday, Texas was the first state in the US to surpass 1m cases as a state. As the weather gets cooler, residents are increasingly likely to engage in indoor gatherings, epidemiologists say. El Paso, which is one of the hardest-hit areas, has hired mobile morgues to hold the dead. #COVID19TX Update: New cases steadily increasing. Hospitalizations and fatalities likely to rise higher. Texas is in a serious fight with #COVID19.
In the last 7 days #Texas averaged:
⬆7,225 new cases per day
⬆6,287 current hospitalizations
⬆99 new fatalities reported per day pic.twitter.com/hqOglJ7n57 — Texas DSHS (@TexasDSHS) November 12, 2020 *This post has been corrected to say that Texas was the first to surpass 1m cases.
Updated at 23.56 GMT
12 Nov 2020 23.00 GMT In Illinois, Democratic congresswoman Lauren Underwood has won re-election – but her Republican opponent, following in the footsteps of the president, has refused to concede. The AP declared Underwood the winner earlier today. She’s leading her opponent by half a percentage point – with some mail-in ballots still outstanding. It’s official -- we won! I’m so honored to continue to represent our community’s values in Congress. Thank you for all of your support. pic.twitter.com/ArOPb0hBRu — Lauren Underwood (@LaurenUnderwood) November 12, 2020 But her opponent Jim Oberweis, the chairman of the popular ice cream chain Oberweis Dairy, is not planning to concede, according to WBEZ:
When asked whether Oberweis was planning to concede, the GOP candidate’s campaign manager said “not at all” shortly after The Associated Press called the race for Underwood. Earlier in the week, spokesperson Travis Akin told WBEZ a recount was imminent. In a written statement, Akin said the campaign is “committed to exploring all legal options,” and that the Associated Press’ call “does not change anything in this race from a legal standpoint,” saying there are still votes that have yet to be counted and certified.
Updated at 00.02 GMT
12 Nov 2020 22.51 GMT The Guardian’s Vivian Ho reports: California is nearing a grim milestone in its battle against the coronavirus, as the state looks set to become the second in the US to surpass 1 million cases of Covid-19. Following a period in which new infections dipped and sectors began to cautiously reopen, the state of nearly 40m residents has recently joined the rest of the country in a surge that was predicted to come with the flu season. Stephanie Campos confirms COVID-19 test appointment notification on patients’ phones before they enter the testing site at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles. Photograph: Irfan Khan/Los Angeles Times/REX/Shutterstock With 991,609 total cases, California saw nearly 7,000 cases in the past 24 hours, with a 7-day test positivity rate at 5%. Hospitalizations have increased by nearly a third in the past 14 days, with intensive care hospitalizations going up by 29.6%. The state is averaging 44 deaths a day; in total more than 18,000 people have died from the virus. Just one month ago, the state was reporting daily numbers below 3,000 and a positivity rate of 2.5%. “Obviously, it’s sobering, these numbers,” said Gavin Newsom, California’s governor. Texas passed 1 million confirmed cases of the coronavirus earlier this week. Read more: California poised to become second state in US with 1m Covid cases Read more
12 Nov 2020 22.37 GMT Chicago mayor issues 30-day stay-at-home advisory Weeks before the Thanksgiving holiday, Chicago’s mayor, Lori Lightfoot, issued a 30-day advisory asking residents to stay at home, avoid unnecessary travel and avoid gatherings of more than 10 people. “While this is tough — this whole year has been tough — you must cancel the normal Thanksgiving plans,” Lightfoot said. “If we continue on the path we’re on and you, me, and others don’t step up and do more ... we could see at least a thousand more Chicagoans die.” The advisory takes effect Monday morning. EFFECTIVE MONDAY: I'm issuing a Stay-at-Home Advisory asking all Chicagoans to only leave their homes for essential needs, including work and school. More info ➡ https://t.co/zDpEmEUk6c. #ProtectChicago pic.twitter.com/DAjuqfuRPP — Mayor Lori Lightfoot (@chicagosmayor) November 12, 2020
Updated at 00.07 GMT
12 Nov 2020 22.27 GMT November on track to be worst month of pandemic so far in US as cases surge Miranda Bryant reports: November is on track to be the worst month of the pandemic so far in the US as new cases and hospitalizations continue to surge to record highs. There were 143,231 new cases and 2,005 deaths in the US on Wednesday, according to figures recorded by Johns Hopkins University. It marked the ninth consecutive day of cases topping 100,000 and a new record for daily cases. It comes after the country recorded more than a million cases in the first 10 days of November. Total cases in the US have now reached over 10.3m and 241,910 people have died, the highest totals in the world. Health experts have in part put the increase down to incoming cold weather driving people indoors and frustration with public health precautions such as masks. Dr Anthony Fauci, America’s top infectious disease expert, said America can slow the spread by “doubling down” on precautions such as mask-wearing, avoiding crowds, keeping activities outdoors and social distancing – and that if people do so a national lockdown could be avoided. “We would like to stay away from that [a national lockdown] because there is no appetite for locking down in the American public. But I believe that we can do it without a lockdown, I really do,” he told ABC on Thursday morning.
Read more: November on track to be worst month of pandemic so far in US as cases surge Read more


theguardian--2020-11-13--Mark Zuckerberg defends not suspending Steve Bannon from Facebook

Mark Zuckerberg told Facebook staffers on Thursday that former Donald Trump adviser Steve Bannon had not violated enough of the company ’ s policies to justify his suspension from the platform when he called for the beheading of two US officials and the posting of their heads outside the White House as a “ warning ” .
Bannon appeared to endorse violence against the FBI director , Christopher Wray , and the infectious disease expert Dr Anthony Fauci on an episode of his podcast on 5 November .
The podcast , the War Room , was distributed in video form @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , including Facebook .
Twitter banned Bannon ’ s War Room account permanently , saying it had suspended the podcast account for violating its policy on the glorification of violence .
Facebook removed the video after about 10 hours online , but did not suspend the account .
“ We have specific rules around how many times you need to violate certain policies before we will deactivate your account completely , ” Zuckerberg told an all-staff meeting on Thursday .
“ While the offenses here , I think , came close to crossing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cross the line.
” Facebook spokesman Andy Stone told Reuters the company would take further action against Bannon ’ s page “ if there are additional violations ” .
Last Friday , Facebook took down a network of other Bannon-linked pages that were pushing false claims about the presidential election , after they were flagged by activist group Avaaz .
Avaaz said seven of the largest pages had amassed nearly 2.5 million followers .
Stone said Facebook had removed “ several clusters of activity for using inauthentic behavior tactics to artificially boost how @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Bannon could not immediately be reached for comment .
During Thursday ’ s meeting , Zuckerberg also acknowledged criticism from Joe Biden , and said the company shared some of the Biden team ’ s concerns about social media .
Biden told the New York Times ’ editorial board in December last year that he had “ never been a fan of Facebook ” and considered Zuckerberg “ a real problem ” .
Bill Russo , the deputy communications director for the Biden campaign , criticized the social media platform for their handling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tweets on Monday .
“ If you thought disinformation on Facebook was a problem during our election , just wait until you see how it is shredding the fabric of our democracy in the days after , ” he wrote .

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Mark Zuckerberg told Facebook staffers on Thursday that former Donald Trump adviser Steve Bannon had not violated enough of the company’s policies to justify his suspension from the platform when he called for the beheading of two US officials and the posting of their heads outside the White House as a “warning”.
Bannon appeared to endorse violence against the FBI director, Christopher Wray, and the infectious disease expert Dr Anthony Fauci on an episode of his podcast on 5 November. The podcast, the War Room, was distributed in video form on a number of social media outlets, including Facebook.
Twitter banned Bannon’s War Room account permanently, saying it had suspended the podcast account for violating its policy on the glorification of violence. Facebook removed the video after about 10 hours online, but did not suspend the account.
“We have specific rules around how many times you need to violate certain policies before we will deactivate your account completely,” Zuckerberg told an all-staff meeting on Thursday. “While the offenses here, I think, came close to crossing that line, they clearly did not cross the line.”
Facebook spokesman Andy Stone told Reuters the company would take further action against Bannon’s page “if there are additional violations”.
Last Friday, Facebook took down a network of other Bannon-linked pages that were pushing false claims about the presidential election, after they were flagged by activist group Avaaz.
Avaaz said seven of the largest pages had amassed nearly 2.5 million followers. Stone said Facebook had removed “several clusters of activity for using inauthentic behavior tactics to artificially boost how many people saw their content”.
Bannon could not immediately be reached for comment.
During Thursday’s meeting, Zuckerberg also acknowledged criticism from Joe Biden, and said the company shared some of the Biden team’s concerns about social media.
Biden told the New York Times’ editorial board in December last year that he had “never been a fan of Facebook” and considered Zuckerberg “a real problem”.
Bill Russo, the deputy communications director for the Biden campaign, criticized the social media platform for their handling of the election in a series of tweets on Monday.
“If you thought disinformation on Facebook was a problem during our election, just wait until you see how it is shredding the fabric of our democracy in the days after,” he wrote.


theguardian--2020-11-12--Why are some Hong Kong democracy activists supporting Trump’s bid to cling to power?

Donald Trump ’ s refusal to concede the US presidential election has won some faraway support in Hong Kong and Taiwan , where a small but noisy number of people are holding hope out for his eventual victory .
The US president ’ s attempt to cling to power has sharpened internal divisions in Hong Kong ’ s pro-democracy movement over its ties to the US Republican party , and prompted a wave of vitriol against journalists reporting or commenting on the US vote .
The Hong Kong Free Press , a stridently pro-democracy title , has seen a huge @ @ @ @ @ @ @ op-ed this week headlined “ President Biden will stand with Hong Kong – more effectively than Trump ever did ” , was met with hundreds of negative comments – including baseless accusations that Joe Biden was “ in the CCP ’ s pocket ” and assertions that the election result was yet to be decided .
“ Some comments are innocent enough ( ie the election is not over – which is technically true though also misleading ) , ” Sasha Ramani , one of the op-ed ’ s co-authors told the Guardian @ @ @ @ @ @ @ surprised at the level of right-wing disinformation that has influenced Hong Kong circles .
The number of friends who have linked me to Breitbart articles or other easily-debunked misinformation is depressing.
” A YouGov poll of Asian countries last month found Trump to be the most popular in Hong Kong and Taiwan , where Chinese authorities have respectively launched a crackdown on dissent and ramped up military threats to invade .
Trump and his administration have responded with a term of anti-China rhetoric and action , slapping sanctions on Beijing and Hong Kong @ @ @ @ @ @ @ worth of weapons to Taiwan .
While Biden has pledged to take a tougher line on China , some pro-democracy activists fear that he will return the US to an era of engagement with Beijing .
Journalist Johan Nylander has lived in Hong Kong for a decade , and said he has seen a lot of anger and aggression since the US election , including claims that Biden stole the election .
“ I spoke to a woman at a pro-democracy [ shop ] , she is hardcore pro-democracy and anti-Beijing – and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she says Fox News is the only reliable media in the US , ” he said .
One local reporter who did not want to be identified due to concerns over online abuse , said colleagues and outlets had been accused of “ being pro-Biden , or favouring Biden in their coverage ” .
“ One example is Apple Daily – its owner Jimmy Lai was very clear that he supported Trump , he predicted Trump would win … and their own coverage was generally pro-Trump .
But the [ Apple Daily ] @ @ @ @ @ @ @ factchecked stories .
And they were accused of ‘ showing their true colours ’ , siding with Biden .
There ’ s this kind of conspiracy that keeps going on.
” Observers including Ramani said people in Hong Kong and Taiwan had become “ collateral damage ” of disinformation campaigns aimed at US voters but which had spread internationally through mainstream , far-right and social media .
A lack of understanding of the US electoral system also helped drive accusations of voter fraud .
The Hong Kong journalist said US state variations in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and some people had made connections between the US ’ s complicated voting system and the anti-democratic tactics seen in some Asian elections .
“ They sort of connect the two and use the same standards to judge the US .
They don ’ t trust their system , and there is a lack of understanding of the US system.
” Ramani said many people “ viewed the election as existentially important to their survival , so they have a greater emotional attachment to it ” , he said .
In October Biden @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to “ advance our shared prosperity , security , and values in the Asia-Pacific region ” and to deepen ties with Taiwan .
He has called Chinese president Xi Jinping a thug , and condemned China ’ s actions in Xinjiang .
Analysts have repeatedly said China is a defining global challenge now , and Washington ’ s approach – supported by a global network of allies - is unlikely to change .
In his op-ed , Ramani said the Trump administration should be given credit for raising China issues , but Hong @ @ @ @ @ @ @ predictable but still tough US administration .
“ Support for our friends in Asia is not coming to an end .
”

Donald Trump’s refusal to concede the US presidential election has won some faraway support in Hong Kong and Taiwan, where a small but noisy number of people are holding hope out for his eventual victory.
The US president’s attempt to cling to power has sharpened internal divisions in Hong Kong’s pro-democracy movement over its ties to the US Republican party, and prompted a wave of vitriol against journalists reporting or commenting on the US vote.
The Hong Kong Free Press, a local English-language title, has seen a huge backlash over its election coverage. An op-ed this week headlined “President Biden will stand with Hong Kong – more effectively than Trump ever did”, was met with hundreds of negative comments – including baseless accusations that Joe Biden was “in the CCP’s pocket” and assertions that the election result was yet to be decided.
“Some comments are innocent enough (ie the election is not over – which is technically true though also misleading),” Sasha Ramani, one of the op-ed’s co-authors told the Guardian.
“But I’m genuinely surprised at the level of rightwing disinformation that has influenced Hong Kong circles. The number of friends who have linked me to Breitbart articles or other easily-debunked misinformation is depressing.”
A YouGov poll of Asian countries last month found Trump to be the most popular in Hong Kong and Taiwan, where Chinese authorities have respectively launched a crackdown on dissent and ramped up military threats to invade.
Trump and his administration have responded with a term of anti-China rhetoric and action, slapping sanctions on Beijing and Hong Kong authorities, and selling billions of dollars worth of weapons to Taiwan.
While Biden has pledged to take a tougher line on China, some pro-democracy activists fear that he will return the US to an era of engagement with Beijing.
Journalist Johan Nylander has lived in Hong Kong for a decade, and said he has seen a lot of anger and aggression since the US election, including claims that Biden stole the election.
“I spoke to a woman at a pro-democracy [shop], she is hardcore pro-democracy and anti-Beijing – and she is hardcore Donald Trump. And she says Fox News is the only reliable media in the US,” he said.
One local reporter who did not want to be identified due to concerns over online abuse, said colleagues and outlets had been accused of “being pro-Biden, or favouring Biden in their coverage”.
“One example is Apple Daily – its owner Jimmy Lai was very clear that he supported Trump, he predicted Trump would win … and their own coverage was generally pro-Trump. But the [Apple Daily] journalists did what every journalist does and factchecked stories. And they were accused of ‘showing their true colours’, siding with Biden. There’s this kind of conspiracy that keeps going on.”
Observers including Ramani said people in Hong Kong and Taiwan had become “collateral damage” of disinformation campaigns aimed at US voters but which had spread internationally through mainstream, far-right and social media.
A lack of understanding of the US electoral system also helped drive accusations of voter fraud. The Hong Kong journalist said US state variations in counting mailed votes had been confusing, and some people had made connections between the US’s complicated voting system and the anti-democratic tactics seen in some Asian elections.
“They sort of connect the two and use the same standards to judge the US. They don’t trust their system, and there is a lack of understanding of the US system.”
Ramani said many people “viewed the election as existentially important to their survival, so they have a greater emotional attachment to it”, he said.
In October Biden pledged the US would join Pacific allies to “advance our shared prosperity, security, and values in the Asia-Pacific region” and to deepen ties with Taiwan.
He has called the Chinese president, Xi Jinping, a thug, and condemned China’s actions in Xinjiang. Analysts have repeatedly said China is a defining global challenge now, and Washington’s approach – supported by a global network of allies - is unlikely to change.
In his op-ed, Ramani said the Trump administration should be given credit for raising China issues, but Hong Kong and Taiwan will benefit from a predictable but still tough US administration. “Support for our friends in Asia is not coming to an end.”


theguardian--2020-11-12--Trump administration to delay enforcement of TikTok ban

The US government has announced it will delay enforcement of a ban on TikTok , granting the Chinese-owned social media app a temporary reprieve in its battle against the Trump administration .
The popular app was facing restrictions over national security concerns that would have effectively barred it from app stores in the US .
The rules were expected to take effect on Thursday .
But the US commerce department said it was holding off “ pending further legal developments ” .
The news came as the US justice department said it had appealed against a judge ’ s October @ @ @ @ @ @ @ app is owned by the Chinese company ByteDance .
Donald Trump ’ s administration contends that TikTok poses national security concerns as personal data collected on 100 million Americans who use the app could be obtained by China ’ s government .
TikTok denies the allegations .
The popular video-sharing app has said its future is in limbo ever since Trump tried to shut it down earlier this fall .
In August , Trump signed an executive order to ban TikTok if it did not sell its US operations in 45 days .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ with several American companies before ultimately settling on a proposal to place TikTok under the oversight of the American companies Oracle and Walmart , each of which would also have a financial stake in the company .
No deal has yet been finalized .
ByteDance had been given until Thursday to restructure ownership of the app in the US to meet national security concerns , but it filed a petition in a Washington court this week asking for a delay .
The company said in a Tuesday statement that it had asked the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ continual new requests and no clarity on whether our proposed solutions would be accepted ” , but it was not granted .
TikTok had no immediate comment on the latest development but on 30 October said it was “ deeply moved by the outpouring of support from our creators , who have worked to protect their rights to expression , their careers , and to helping small businesses , particularly during the pandemic ” .

The US government has announced it will delay enforcement of a ban on TikTok, granting the Chinese-owned social media app a temporary reprieve in its battle against the Trump administration.
The popular app was facing restrictions over national security concerns that would have effectively barred it from app stores in the US. The rules were expected to take effect on Thursday. But the US commerce department said it was holding off “pending further legal developments”.
The news came as the US justice department said it had appealed against a judge’s October order that blocked the restrictions. The app is owned by the Chinese company ByteDance.
Donald Trump’s administration contends that TikTok poses national security concerns as personal data collected on 100 million Americans who use the app could be obtained by China’s government. TikTok denies the allegations.
The popular video-sharing app has said its future is in limbo ever since Trump tried to shut it down earlier this fall.
In August, Trump signed an executive order to ban TikTok if it did not sell its US operations in 45 days. The move forced ByteDance to consider deals with several American companies before ultimately settling on a proposal to place TikTok under the oversight of the American companies Oracle and Walmart, each of which would also have a financial stake in the company. No deal has yet been finalized.
ByteDance had been given until Thursday to restructure ownership of the app in the US to meet national security concerns, but it filed a petition in a Washington court this week asking for a delay.
The company said in a Tuesday statement that it had asked the government for a 30-day extension because of “continual new requests and no clarity on whether our proposed solutions would be accepted”, but it was not granted.
TikTok had no immediate comment on the latest development but on 30 October said it was “deeply moved by the outpouring of support from our creators, who have worked to protect their rights to expression, their careers, and to helping small businesses, particularly during the pandemic”.


theguardian--2020-11-12--Top US cybersecurity official reportedly says he expects to be fired

Top US cybersecurity official Christopher Krebs has told associates he expects to be fired by the White House , according to three sources familiar with the matter .
Krebs is the government ’ s point person on securing voting technology and is widely respected among local election officials .
His agency has also been aggressively pushing back on rumors that something went wrong with the 2020 election , as Donald Trump , who refuses to concede to the president-elect , Joe Biden , contests .
Krebs , who heads the Department of Homeland Security ’ s Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security @ @ @ @ @ @ @ return messages from the Reuters news agency seeking comment .
And the Cisa and the White House declined comment .
Separately , Bryan Ware , assistant director for cybersecurity at Cisa , confirmed to Reuters that he had handed in his resignation on Thursday .
Krebs has drawn praise from both Democrats and Republicans for his handling of the US election , which generally ran smoothly despite persistent fears in the run-up that foreign hackers might try to undermine the vote or that there might be chaos with mail-in voting during a pandemic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ polls to cast their ballots in person .
But he drew the ire of the Trump White House over a website run by Cisa dubbed Rumor Control which debunks misinformation about the election , according to the three people familiar with the matter .
White House officials have asked for content to be edited or removed from the website , which has disputed numerous false claims about the election , including that Democrats are behind a mass election fraud scheme , for which no evidence has been presented .
In response , Cisa @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
In particular , one person said , the White House was angry about a Cisa post rejecting a conspiracy theory that falsely claims an intelligence agency supercomputer and program , purportedly named Hammer and Scorecard , could have flipped votes nationally .
No such system exists , according to Krebs , election security experts and former US officials .
Meanwhile Ware is one of several officials who have left national security-related posts since Donald Trump lost the election to Joe Biden .
Trump has yet to concede .
Ware did not provide @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with his matter said the White House asked for Ware ’ s resignation earlier this week .
The churn is being closely watched amid concern for the integrity of the transition from Trump to Biden .

Top US cybersecurity official Christopher Krebs has told associates he expects to be fired by the White House, according to three sources familiar with the matter.
Krebs is the government’s point person on securing voting technology and is widely respected among local election officials. His agency has also been aggressively pushing back on rumors that something went wrong with the 2020 election, as Donald Trump, who refuses to concede to the president-elect, Joe Biden, contests.
Krebs, who heads the Department of Homeland Security’s Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (Cisa), did not return messages from the Reuters news agency seeking comment. And the Cisa and the White House declined comment.
Separately, Bryan Ware, assistant director for cybersecurity at Cisa, confirmed to Reuters that he had handed in his resignation on Thursday.
Krebs has drawn praise from both Democrats and Republicans for his handling of the US election, which generally ran smoothly despite persistent fears in the run-up that foreign hackers might try to undermine the vote or that there might be chaos with mail-in voting during a pandemic or intimidation of voters going to the polls to cast their ballots in person.
But he drew the ire of the Trump White House over a website run by Cisa dubbed Rumor Control which debunks misinformation about the election, according to the three people familiar with the matter.
White House officials have asked for content to be edited or removed from the website, which has disputed numerous false claims about the election, including that Democrats are behind a mass election fraud scheme, for which no evidence has been presented. In response, Cisa officials have refused to delete accurate information.
In particular, one person said, the White House was angry about a Cisa post rejecting a conspiracy theory that falsely claims an intelligence agency supercomputer and program, purportedly named Hammer and Scorecard, could have flipped votes nationally. No such system exists, according to Krebs, election security experts and former US officials.
Meanwhile Ware is one of several officials who have left national security-related posts since Donald Trump lost the election to Joe Biden. Trump has yet to concede.
Ware did not provide details, but a US official familiar with his matter said the White House asked for Ware’s resignation earlier this week.
The churn is being closely watched amid concern for the integrity of the transition from Trump to Biden.


theguardian--2020-11-12--Fight to Vote: when a loser won’t concede

In a normal election year we might be wrapping up our newsletter by now , reporting on who came out to vote and speculating on the president-elect ’ s plans for the next four years .
But this year we don ’ t have that luxury .
Despite the fact that the president-elect , Joe Biden , leads in the popular vote by at least 5 million people , and despite the fact that he has significant leads in five key states , Donald Trump has baselessly claimed that the election is rigged against him .
He ’ s weaponizing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , to cast doubt on the democratic process , and to try to convince the American people that he is the true winner .
These are his tactics Litigation : The Trump campaign has lodged a slew of baseless lawsuits in swing states , with claims that range from “ dead people voted ” to “ ballots that arrived late are being counted ” .
So far , as our reporter Sam Levine wrote this week , judges have ruled against the campaign in almost every instance , citing a lack of evidence @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his supporters are even railing against Fox News because it called the election for Biden .
Federal investigation : William Barr , the attorney general , has authorized federal prosecutors to investigate election irregularities , an unprecedented move that prompted the head of the justice department ’ s election crimes unit to step down .
Calling on enablers : Trump is relying on figures such as Ken Starr ; the lieutenant governor in Texas ; and J Christian Adams , a former justice department official , to continue their crusade against so-called voter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lawsuits continue , and the US supreme court has a conservative majority , it ’ s very unlikely that Trump can manipulate the levers of democracy and the safeguards in place .
As Sam Levine has written , there is a long-shot legal theory , floated by Republicans before the election , that Republican-friendly legislatures in places like Michigan , Wisconsin and Pennsylvania could ignore the popular vote in their states and appoint their own electors .
Federal law allows legislatures to do this if states have “ failed to make a choice @ @ @ @ @ @ @ meets .
But there is no evidence of systemic fraud or wrongdoing in any state , and Biden ’ s commanding margins in these places make it clear that the states have in fact made a choice .
More on that here .
It ’ s more likely that Trump ’ s allegations will only serve to promote doubt about our electoral process , stoke more divisiveness , and encourage Republicans to resist Biden ’ s leadership for the next four years .
Is there any relief on the horizon ?
Yes .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ they need to confirm election results , all election disputes need to be resolved by 8 December , called the “ safe harbor ” deadline .
On 14 December , the electors in the electoral college cast their ballots .
( More about the electoral college system here . )
In almost every state , the candidate with the most votes takes all the electoral votes for that state .
With Biden ’ s lead , it ’ s nearly certain that he will be confirmed as president-elect .
Ready for this to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ thing you can do now While all major news networks have called the election for Biden , Trump supporters have resorted to Facebook and other social media forums to spread lies about voter fraud .
Be on the lookout for conspiracy theories and falsehoods attempting to undermine the election , and flag and report the posts if you choose .
If you ’ re feeling thick-skinned and battle-ready , respond to posters with facts .
Meanwhile , you know it ’ s 2020 when somebody has made ... a Coup-o-Meter .

Sign up for the Guardian’s Fight to Vote newsletter
Good morning Fight to Vote readers,
In a normal election year we might be wrapping up our newsletter by now, reporting on who came out to vote and speculating on the president-elect’s plans for the next four years. But this year we don’t have that luxury.
Donald Trump will not concede
Despite the fact that the president-elect, Joe Biden, leads in the popular vote by at least 5 million people, and despite the fact that he has significant leads in five key states, Donald Trump has baselessly claimed that the election is rigged against him.
He’s weaponizing those claims to undermine the election results, to cast doubt on the democratic process, and to try to convince the American people that he is the true winner.
These are his tactics
Litigation: The Trump campaign has lodged a slew of baseless lawsuits in swing states, with claims that range from “dead people voted” to “ballots that arrived late are being counted”. So far, as our reporter Sam Levine wrote this week, judges have ruled against the campaign in almost every instance, citing a lack of evidence.
Undermining the media: Trump and his supporters are even railing against Fox News because it called the election for Biden.
Federal investigation: William Barr, the attorney general, has authorized federal prosecutors to investigate election irregularities, an unprecedented move that prompted the head of the justice department’s election crimes unit to step down.
Calling on enablers: Trump is relying on figures such as Ken Starr; the lieutenant governor in Texas; and J Christian Adams, a former justice department official, to continue their crusade against so-called voter fraud.
Can Trump stage a coup?
Not really. Though the lawsuits continue, and the US supreme court has a conservative majority, it’s very unlikely that Trump can manipulate the levers of democracy and the safeguards in place.
As Sam Levine has written, there is a long-shot legal theory, floated by Republicans before the election, that Republican-friendly legislatures in places like Michigan, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania could ignore the popular vote in their states and appoint their own electors. Federal law allows legislatures to do this if states have “failed to make a choice” by the day the electoral college meets. But there is no evidence of systemic fraud or wrongdoing in any state, and Biden’s commanding margins in these places make it clear that the states have in fact made a choice. More on that here.
It’s more likely that Trump’s allegations will only serve to promote doubt about our electoral process, stoke more divisiveness, and encourage Republicans to resist Biden’s leadership for the next four years.
Is there any relief on the horizon?
Yes. While states have different deadlines by which they need to confirm election results, all election disputes need to be resolved by 8 December, called the “safe harbor” deadline.
On 14 December, the electors in the electoral college cast their ballots. (More about the electoral college system here.) In almost every state, the candidate with the most votes takes all the electoral votes for that state. With Biden’s lead, it’s nearly certain that he will be confirmed as president-elect.
Ready for this to be over? Here’s one thing you can do now
While all major news networks have called the election for Biden, Trump supporters have resorted to Facebook and other social media forums to spread lies about voter fraud. Be on the lookout for conspiracy theories and falsehoods attempting to undermine the election, and flag and report the posts if you choose. If you’re feeling thick-skinned and battle-ready, respond to posters with facts.
Meanwhile, you know it’s 2020 when somebody has made ... a Coup-o-Meter.


theguardian--2020-11-12--Nancy Pelosi accuses Republicans of 'refusing to accept reality' of election result – video

The House speaker , Nancy Pelosi , and Senate minority leader , Chuck Schumer , held a press conference on @ @ @ @ @ Republican lawmakers to accept the results of the presidential election .
Pelosi emphasised the need @ @ @ @ @ bill , saying : 'Stop the circus and get to work on what really matters @ @ @ @ @

The House speaker, Nancy Pelosi, and Senate minority leader, Chuck Schumer, held a press conference on Capitol Hill, calling on Republican lawmakers to accept the results of the presidential election.
Pelosi emphasised the need to pass another coronavirus relief bill, saying: 'Stop the circus and get to work on what really matters to the American people'


theguardian--2020-11-13--Trump law firm withdraws from Pennsylvania case challenging election

A major law firm withdrew overnight from a Trump campaign case in Pennsylvania seeking to have mail-in ballots thrown out , in the latest blow to the president ’ s efforts to challenge the 2020 election result in court .
The Ohio-based Porter Wright Morris & Arthur firm , which brought a suit on Monday alleging that the use of mail-in ballots had created “ an illegal two-tiered voting system ” in the state , abruptly withdrew from that case in a memo to the court .
“ Plaintiffs and Porter Wright have reached a mutual agreement that plaintiffs will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” the memo said .
The lead lawyer in the case , the Pittsburgh-based Ronald L Hicks Jr , did not immediately reply to a request for comment .
The news was first reported by the New York Times .
Unlike most lawsuits brought by the Trump campaign , which targeted small pools of votes whose exclusion would not change the election result , the Porter Wright suit challenged nearly 2.65m votes that were cast by mail , the majority by Democrats .
It accused the secretary of the commonwealth , Kathy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ actions ” and sought an emergency order prohibiting the certification of the Pennsylvania election result .
With that lawsuit stalled , certification in Pennsylvania – and the formal election of Joe Biden as president – drew a step closer .
By law the state ’ s result must be certified by 23 November .
The news came as a coalition of US federal and state officials said they had no evidence that votes were compromised or altered in last week ’ s presidential election , rejecting unsubstantiated claims of widespread fraud advanced by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The statement from cybersecurity experts trumpeted the 3 November election as the most secure in American history .
The Trump campaign has been using lawsuits trying to prevent or delay states in which Trump lost from certifying their election results , an essential step to translating state popular-vote results into a national electoral college result .
Biden has opened up a lead of 5.3m popular votes and counting , and he is on track to win the electoral college 306-232 .
Dozens of lawsuits brought by the Trump campaign in six states to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ traction .
The campaign has won minor court victories , such as requiring Pennsylvania to set aside ballots received after election day in case they are later ruled invalid .
But that pool of ballots and others targeted in Trump lawsuits is not large enough to overcome Biden ’ s lead in Pennsylvania , where he is up almost 60,000 votes and counting , and in other states .
Porter Wright is representing the Trump campaign and the Republican party in other Pennsylvania lawsuits , including one seeking to throw out mail-in ballots @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not provided by 9 November .
The disposition of that lawsuit , which Hicks was also leading , is unclear .
Porter Wright and a second large law firm , the Ohio-based Jones Day , representing Republicans in 2020 election lawsuits have come under pressure for acting as perceived accomplices in Trump ’ s effort to cancel the election result .
The legal news site law.com called it a “ public relations nightmare ” for the firms .
At least one lawyer at Porter Wright resigned over the firm ’ s decision to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the NYT reported .
The Lincoln Project anti-Trump Republican group has attacked the firms on Twitter , asking , “ do you believe your law firms should be attempting to overturn the will of the American people ?
” The group was suspended from Twitter for publishing the names and office contact information of the lawyers .
While legal actions by the Trump campaign are proceeding in multiple states , more than a dozen cases have been thrown out of court , and there is not a single case in which substantial evidence @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Trump lawyers have had to admit to judges that they have no evidence of fraud – in sharp contrast with the message the president is spreading on Twitter .
In a case in Maricopa county , Arizona , accusing poll workers of misconduct , attorney Kory Langhofer told a judge that the plaintiffs were “ not alleging fraud ” or “ that anyone is stealing the election ” but raising concerns about “ good faith errors ” .
In a case in Montgomery county , Pennsylvania , the lawyer Jonathan Goldstein , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was attempting to have 592 mail-in ballots thrown out because of “ irregularities ” with the ballots ’ outer envelopes .
A judge pressed Goldstein on whether he was alleging voter fraud .
“ I am asking you a specific question , and I am looking for a specific answer , ” the judge said .
“ Are you claiming that there is any fraud in connection with these 592 disputed ballots ?
” “ To my knowledge at present , no , ” Goldstein said .
“ Are you claiming that there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the elector with respect to these 592 ballots ?
” asked the judge .

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A major law firm withdrew overnight from a Trump campaign case in Pennsylvania seeking to have mail-in ballots thrown out, in the latest blow to the president’s efforts to challenge the 2020 election result in court.
The Ohio-based Porter Wright Morris & Arthur firm, which brought a suit on Monday alleging that the use of mail-in ballots had created “an illegal two-tiered voting system” in the state, abruptly withdrew from that case in a memo to the court.
“Plaintiffs and Porter Wright have reached a mutual agreement that plaintiffs will be best served if Porter Wright withdraws,” the memo said. The lead lawyer in the case, the Pittsburgh-based Ronald L Hicks Jr, did not immediately reply to a request for comment. The news was first reported by the New York Times.
Separately, lawyers for the Trump campaign withdrew a lawsuit in Arizona, conceding that the case would not move enough votes to change the election result in the state. “Since the close of yesterday’s hearing, the tabulation of votes statewide has rendered unnecessary a judicial ruling as to the presidential electors,” Trump lawyer Kory Langhofer told an Arizona state court, in news first reported by the Wall Street Journal.
And in Michigan, a judge refused to halt the certification of Detroit-area election results. It was the third time a judge has declined to intervene in the Michigan count.
Unlike most lawsuits brought by the Trump campaign, which targeted small pools of votes whose exclusion would not change the election result, the Porter Wright suit in Pennsylvania challenged nearly 2.65m votes that were cast by mail, the majority by Democrats.
It accused the secretary of the commonwealth, Kathy Boockvar, of “arbitrary and illegal actions” and sought an emergency order prohibiting the certification of the Pennsylvania election result.
With that lawsuit stalled, certification in Pennsylvania – and the formal election of Joe Biden as president – drew a step closer. By law the state’s result must be certified by 23 November.
The news came as a coalition of US federal and state officials said they had no evidence that votes were compromised or altered in last week’s presidential election, rejecting unsubstantiated claims of widespread fraud advanced by Trump and many of his supporters.
The statement from cybersecurity experts trumpeted the 3 November election as the most secure in American history.
03:51 One week on: how Trump handled losing the US election – video report
The Trump campaign has been using lawsuits trying to prevent or delay states in which Trump lost from certifying their election results, an essential step to translating state popular-vote results into a national electoral college result.
Biden has opened up a lead of 5.3m popular votes and counting, and he is on track to win the electoral college 306-232.
Dozens of lawsuits brought by the Trump campaign in six states to challenge the election result have gained little traction. The campaign has won minor court victories, such as requiring Pennsylvania to set aside ballots received after election day in case they are later ruled invalid.
But that pool of ballots and others targeted in Trump lawsuits is not large enough to overcome Biden’s lead in Pennsylvania, where he is up almost 60,000 votes and counting, and in other states.
Porter Wright is representing the Trump campaign and the Republican party in other Pennsylvania lawsuits, including one seeking to throw out mail-in ballots for which missing voter identification information was not provided by 9 November. The disposition of that lawsuit, which Hicks was also leading, is unclear.
Porter Wright and a second large law firm, the Ohio-based Jones Day, representing Republicans in 2020 election lawsuits have come under pressure for acting as perceived accomplices in Trump’s effort to cancel the election result.
The legal news site law.com called it a “public relations nightmare” for the firms. At least one lawyer at Porter Wright resigned over the firm’s decision to carry Trump’s lawsuits forward, the NYT reported.
The Lincoln Project anti-Trump Republican group has attacked the firms on Twitter, asking, “do you believe your law firms should be attempting to overturn the will of the American people?” The group was suspended from Twitter for publishing the names and office contact information of the lawyers.
While legal actions by the Trump campaign are proceeding in multiple states, more than a dozen cases have been thrown out of court, and there is not a single case in which substantial evidence of election fraud has emerged.
Instead, Trump lawyers have had to admit to judges that they have no evidence of fraud – in sharp contrast with the message the president is spreading on Twitter.
In a case in Maricopa county, Arizona, accusing poll workers of misconduct – the case that was withdrawn on Friday afternoon – Trump lawyer Langhofer told a judge that the plaintiffs were “not alleging fraud” or “that anyone is stealing the election” but raising concerns about “good faith errors”.
In a case in Montgomery county, Pennsylvania, the lawyer Jonathan Goldstein, who has his own law firm, was attempting to have 592 mail-in ballots thrown out because of “irregularities” with the ballots’ outer envelopes.
A judge pressed Goldstein on whether he was alleging voter fraud.
“I am asking you a specific question, and I am looking for a specific answer,” the judge said. “Are you claiming that there is any fraud in connection with these 592 disputed ballots?”
“To my knowledge at present, no,” Goldstein said.
“Are you claiming that there is any undue or improper influence upon the elector with respect to these 592 ballots?” asked the judge.
Goldstein replied: “To my knowledge at present, no.”


theguardian--2020-11-13--US election officials dismiss 'unfounded claims' about result – live updates

Some of Donald Trump ’ s advisers are under the ( false ) impression that the presidential election has not @ @ @ @ @ to Fox Business this morning , trade adviser Peter Navarro said , “ We are @ @ @ @ @ White House under the assumption that there will be a second Trump term.
” Navarro @ @ @ @ @ ’ s victory as an “ immaculate deception ” , adding , “ We think @ @ @ @ @ and any speculation about what Joe Biden might do I think is moot at this @ @ @ @ @ missed it for the past six days : Biden has been declared the winner of @ @ @ @ @ major news outlet .
States have already started certifying their results , and Biden will @ @ @ @ @ of the election when the electoral college convenes next month .
Biden will be inaugurated @ @ @ @ @ will be a one-term president .
Anyone who says otherwise is denying reality .

14 Nov 2020 02.48 GMT Kari Paul here, logging off for the night! Here is the top news of the evening to keep in mind as we go into the weekend. Stay safe and stay negative, y’all! Republican Martha McSally officially conceded the Arizona Senate race to Democratic opponent Mark Kelly.
Congressional Democrats changed plans for an indoor dinner to be takeaway meals after backlash over coronavirus hypocrisy.
Gavin Newsom is also in hot water for attending a dinner with people outside his household. He apologized on Friday.
Nevada’s governor has tested positive for Covid-19. He is the fifth governor in the US to test positive.
New York attorney general Leticia James has pledged to sue the Trump administration if it vindictively withholds a Covid vaccine.
14 Nov 2020 02.39 GMT New York attorney general poised to sue the Trump administration if it delays the state’s access to vaccines After Donald Trump in a press conference on Friday alluded to withholding a Covid-19 vaccine from New York while distributing it to the rest of the US, the state’s attorney general has threatened to sue. “This is nothing more than vindictive behavior by a lame-duck president trying to extract [sic] vengeance on those who oppose his politics,” New York attorney general Letitia James said in a statement. Trump’s statements come after an ongoing battle of passive aggressive public statements between him and New York governor Andrew Cuomo, who called Trump’s handling of the coronavirus pandemic “the worst failure since Pearl Harbor”. Throughout the coronavirus pandemic, state governors have complained of fears that speaking negatively of Trump would result in the president withholding Covid supplies. “Once there is a fully-developed Covid-19 vaccine, we are confident that a Biden-Harris Administration will provide New York with the proper number of doses so that our state’s residents can achieve immunity,” James said. “If dissemination of the vaccine takes place in the twilight of a Trump Administration and the president wants to play games with people’s lives, we will sue and we will win.”
Updated at 02.40 GMT
14 Nov 2020 00.47 GMT Nevada governor tests positive for Covid-19 Nevada Governor Steve Sisolak said on Friday he has tested positive for Covid-19, as the number of people infected with the virus soars to record highs in the state and across the US. Sisolak, a Democrat, is the fifth governor in the US to report testing positive for the virus, after two Republicans in Missouri and Oklahoma, and one Democrat in Virginia. Ohio’s Republican governor Mike DeWine tested positive in August but received a negative test a few hours later. DeWine tested positive using a rapid test before testing negative later that day after using a more sensitive laboratory-developed test. Sisolak said on a call with reporters he was not yet experiencing symptoms and that the positive results came from a routine test on Friday morning. He is the third person in his office to test positive for the virus. Last week, the governor’s office announced an unnamed Carson City-based staffer who had not been in close contact with Sisolak but had tested positive for the virus. In early October, Sisolak’s Covid-19 response director Caleb Cage also tested positive. “I’m a little tired, but I’ve been tired since March when we started fighting Covid,” Sisolak said. “I think this just puts a spotlight on the fact that you can take all the precautions that are possible and you can still contract the virus. I don’t know how I got it, but we’re going to quarantine and get through it.” The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Updated at 00.52 GMT
13 Nov 2020 23.57 GMT Gavin Newsom apologizes for attending a party as Covid numbers rise In another example of politicians being roasted for not practicing what they preach, California’s governor, Gavin Newsom, has been forced to apologize after attending an outdoor dinner party last week. Newsom acknowledged Friday he should have skipped the birthday party, which took place at an upscale Napa Valley restaurant, as coronavirus numbers soar in the state. “While our family followed the restaurant’s health protocols and took safety precautions, we should have modeled better behavior and not joined the dinner,” Newsom said in a statement. The dinner came just as Newsom’s administration announced new guidelines urging people not to attend events with people outside their households, and as California hit a grim new Covid milestone of 1m infections. His staff had confirmed his attendance at the “intimate” outdoor event. “The restaurant was open for normal dining, consistent with state and county health guidance,” his spokeswoman said. “All of the restaurant safety protocols were adhered to – and the guests followed those protocols.” Sacramento, where Newsom lives, was just assigned the state’s “purple tier” classification for Covid risk – the highest on the risk scale. San Francisco was forced to shut down indoor dining as numbers once again went up this week.
Updated at 00.19 GMT
13 Nov 2020 23.34 GMT Congressional dinner shifts to to-go meals after outrage
The dinner for new members of Congress being held by Democrats will be modified, shifting to a to-go food model, after outrage over an indoor meal, said Nancy Pelosi’s deputy chief of staff Drew Hammill on Friday evening. The change comes after hundreds slammed politicians for dining indoors while thousands of Americans struggle in quarantine amid the coronavirus pandemic and as many cancel their Thanksgiving plans. Hammill reiterated what Pelosi said, which is that the dinner had been approved by the office of attending physician. Still, the event has changed from a sit-down meal to one in which members-elect can pick up dinners to go in a socially distanced manner, Hammill said, “to be a further model for the nation”. Some have said that does not go far enough and that the dinner should be cancelled entirely.
Updated at 00.01 GMT
13 Nov 2020 22.46 GMT Republican Martha McSally finally concedes Arizona Senate seat to incoming Democrat Mark Kelly A week after being declared the loser in the Arizona race for US Senate, Republican Martha McSally has conceded to Democrat Mark Kelly. McSally held out until Friday the numbers showed it was mathematically impossible for her to catch up to Kelly. The concession marks the end of a contentious race to fill the seat left by John McCain, the Republican senator who died in 2018. McSally had been appointed his seat in 2019 January, which she called “an absolute honor”. “With nearly all the votes counted, I called Mark Kelly this morning to congratulate him on winning this race,” she said in a statement. “I also offered support in his transition to ensure Arizonans are best served during this time. I wish him all the best.” The Associated Press had called the race on election night, 4 November, just hours after the polls closed. McSally did not concede, publicly or in private directly to Kelly since then. Kelly ran on a relatively centrist platform, questioning McSally’s alliances with Donald Trump and the Senate majority leader, Mitch McConnell. His main campaign issues included healthcare and Trump’s management of the Covid-19 pandemic. Kelly is married to Gabrielle Giffords, who previously represented the Tucson area in Congress before resigning after being injured in a 2011 mass shooting. The couple went on to co-found a gun control organization and Kelly, a former astronaut, entered into politics.
Updated at 23.02 GMT
13 Nov 2020 22.17 GMT Kari Paul here, taking over the blog for the next few hours. Stay tuned for updates.
13 Nov 2020 22.10 GMT Today so far That’s it from me today. My west coast colleague Kari Paul will take over for the next few hours. Here’s where the day stands so far: Donald Trump peddled false claims about coronavirus and attacked New York’s governor, Andrew Cuomo, during a Rose Garden event. The president praised his administration’s work to help accelerate the development of a coronavirus vaccine, but he did not take questions from reporters and did not acknowledge Joe Biden ’s victory in the presidential election.
The president praised his administration’s work to help accelerate the development of a coronavirus vaccine, but he did not take questions from reporters and did not acknowledge ’s victory in the presidential election. The US set another single-day record for new coronavirus infections. According to Johns Hopkins University, the US confirmed 153,496 new cases yesterday, and 919 Americans died of coronavirus.
According to Johns Hopkins University, the US confirmed 153,496 new cases yesterday, and 919 Americans died of coronavirus. Federal and state officials said the election was “ the most secure in American history”, even as Trump continued to spread baseless claims of massive fraud. A group of election officials said in a statement released last night, “While we know there are many unfounded claims and opportunities for misinformation about the process of our elections, we can assure you we have the utmost confidence in the security and integrity of our elections, and you should too.”
even as Trump continued to spread baseless claims of massive fraud. A group of election officials said in a statement released last night, “While we know there are many unfounded claims and opportunities for misinformation about the process of our elections, we can assure you we have the utmost confidence in the security and integrity of our elections, and you should too.” The Trump campaign suffered more legal setbacks, as it withdrew from a lawsuit in Arizona and lost one of the law firms representing the president in Pennsylvania. A Michigan judge also dismissed Republicans’ effort to delay the state’s certification process, clearing the way for Biden to officially become the winner of the election when the electoral college convenes next month.
as it withdrew from a lawsuit in Arizona and lost one of the law firms representing the president in Pennsylvania. A Michigan judge also dismissed Republicans’ effort to delay the state’s certification process, clearing the way for Biden to officially become the winner of the election when the electoral college convenes next month. More than 130 Secret Service agents have contracted coronavirus or been asked to quarantine after Trump’s extensive campaign travel, according to the Washington Post. The president held dozens of large rallies in the final weeks before the election, raising concerns about the spread of coronavirus. Now, roughly 10% of the president’s core security team has been sidelined by the virus.
according to the Washington Post. The president held dozens of large rallies in the final weeks before the election, raising concerns about the spread of coronavirus. Now, roughly 10% of the president’s core security team has been sidelined by the virus. The AP declared Trump to be the winner of North Carolina and its 15 electoral votes, bringing the president’s electoral vote total to 232. Biden’s total currently stands at 290 because the AP has not yet called Georgia, although other networks called the state for the president-elect today. Kari will have more coming up, so stay tuned.
Updated at 22.59 GMT
13 Nov 2020 22.03 GMT Trump concludes Rose Garden event without taking questions Donald Trump has concluded his Rose Garden event without taking any questions from reporters. As Trump left the Rose Garden, reporters shouted questions about whether he would concede the election, but he ignored them. It has been six days since Joe Biden was declared the winner of the presidential election, and Trump has still not acknowledged his victory.
13 Nov 2020 21.58 GMT Speaking at the Rose Garden event, Mike Pence laid out an ambitious timeline for distributing a coronavirus vaccine. “Before the year is out, we’ll be able to administer a vaccine to tens of millions of Americans,” the vice-president said. Pence noted the vaccine would first be distributed to the most vulnerable Americans, such as seniors and frontline workers. Donald Trump said at the beginning of the event that the administration expects a vaccine to be widely available to the American public by April, which is generally in line with what Dr Anthony Fauci has said.
13 Nov 2020 21.52 GMT At his Rose Garden event, Donald Trump has not yet recognized the alarming surge in coronavirus cases across the country. Instead, Trump once again falsely claimed the high number of US cases is due to the country’s high level of testing, even though public health experts say new cases are far outpacing the elevated rate of testing. According to Johns Hopkins University, the US confirmed 153,496 new cases yesterday, setting a new single-day record for the country. Shortly before Trump’s event, Joe Biden released a statement saying the coronavirus crisis required “urgent action”. “Our country is experiencing surges in reported infections, hospitalizations, and fatalities all over the country, with virtually nowhere getting spared,” the president-elect said.
Updated at 22.09 GMT
13 Nov 2020 21.41 GMT Donald Trump seemed to be on the cusp of acknowledging Joe Biden’s victory in the presidential election before backing off. The president was discussing the possibility of a national lockdown, and he seemed ready to say he hoped Biden would not approve a lockdown. Instead, Trump appeared to catch himself and instead said: “This administration will not be going to a lockdown.” Trump seems to be on the cusp of saying "the Biden administration," but catches himself and says "time will tell" pic.twitter.com/6QaZV9TFOq — Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) November 13, 2020
Updated at 21.46 GMT
13 Nov 2020 21.35 GMT During his Rose Garden event, Donald Trump repeated his false claim that the US has the highest number of coronavirus cases because it tests more than any other country. In reality, public health experts say the surge in coronavirus cases is far outpacing the rate of increased testing in the US. Trump said a coronavirus vaccine would be widely available to the American public starting in April. “As soon as April, the vaccine will be available to the entire general population,” Trump said. However, the president said the vaccine would not be available to residents of New York, accusing the Democratic governor, Andrew Cuomo, of playing politics. “We won’t be delivering it to New York until we have authorization to do so,” Trump said.
Updated at 22.09 GMT
13 Nov 2020 21.30 GMT Trump delivers update on Operation Warp Speed Donald Trump has appeared at the podium in the White House Rose Garden to deliver an update on Operation Warp Speed, the federal government’s effort to accelerate the development of a coronavirus vaccine. The president said Operation Warp Speed was “unequaled and unrivaled anywhere in the world”, claiming foreign leaders have called to congratulate him on the project. Trump credited Operation Warp Speed with the news, announced earlier this week, that Pfizer’s coronavirus vaccine is 90% effective. Pfizer executives said the company was not involved in Operation Warp Speed and did not receive federal money for its vaccine, but Trump said that was an “unfortunate misrepresentation”. A Pfizer spokesperson said the company was part of Operation Warp Speed as a supplier of a potential vaccine, but the company did not receive federal money to help develop its vaccine, unlike Moderna and AstraZeneca.
Updated at 21.37 GMT


theguardian--2020-11-13--FTSE 100 set for best week since April as Covid vaccine triggers hopes for economy

The London stock market is heading for its best week since April amid rising hopes that a coronavirus vaccine can trigger a faster economic revival from the pandemic than first anticipated .
The FTSE 100 index of leading UK company shares is on track to end the week more than 300 points higher , a rise of almost 7 % , despite a modest sell-off on Friday as City investors bet it would still take time to deploy the vaccine and for Britain ’ s economy to stage a full recovery .
Financial markets around the world have soared since @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Covid vaccine was 90 % effective in protecting people from transmission of the virus in global trials .
Russia also said on Wednesday that its own candidate , Sputnik V , had shown in trials it could cut the likelihood of catching the disease by 92 % .
However , the continued rapid spread of the virus and the start of tougher lockdown restrictions has limited gains in stock markets as the second wave of Covid inflicts a heavy toll on the global economy .
Shares in the blue-chip London index were down @ @ @ @ @ @ @ trade at about 6,300 , as optimism earlier this week was tempered by the prospect of a difficult winter before a vaccine becomes widely available .
Official figures show the UK economy grew at a record quarterly rate of more than 15 % in the third quarter as lockdown restrictions were eased but that the recovery was losing momentum even before new curbs came in .
The Bank of England forecasts GDP to fall again in the final three months of 2020 .
Eurozone GDP rose by 12.6 % in the three months @ @ @ @ @ @ @ estimate of 12.7 % , according to official figures on Friday .
The FTSE 100 has gained by more than 700 points since the start of the month as hopes over a vaccine and Joe Biden defeating Donald Trump in the US election lifted financial markets around the world .
However , the index is still down by more than 1,000 on the start of the year , before the onset of the pandemic .
The Dow Jones Industrial Average , the leading index of US company shares , has also gained , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ extending a winning streak after its biggest gains since April a week earlier as Biden ’ s victory over Trump became clearer .
Shares on Wall Street are expected to rally further on Friday after Biden won in Arizona , flipping control from the Republicans to the Democrats in the state for the first time since 1996 .
Russ Mould , investment director at the Manchester-based stockbroker AJ Bell , said : “ Investors ’ perspective on the outlook has definitely been shifted in a positive direction by the vaccine breakthroughs and there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this area in the weeks to come.
” “ Clearly the Covid crisis is not at an end despite the positive news announced by Pfizer and counterparts in Russia – perhaps it would be more accurate to paraphrase Churchill and say we are at ‘ the end of the beginning ’ of the pandemic .
”

The FTSE 100 has recorded its strongest week since April amid rising hopes that a coronavirus vaccine can trigger a faster economic revival from the pandemic than first anticipated.
The index of leading UK company shares ended the week more than 300 points higher at 6,316, a rise of about 7%, despite a modest dip on Friday as City investors bet it would still take time to deploy the vaccine and for Britain’s economy to stage a full recovery.
Financial markets around the world have soared since Pfizer/BioNTech announced earlier this week that its Covid vaccine was 90% effective in protecting people from transmission of the virus in global trials.
Russia also said on Wednesday that its own candidate, Sputnik V, had shown in trials it could cut the likelihood of catching the disease by 92%.
However, the continued rapid spread of the virus and the start of tougher lockdown restrictions has limited gains in stock markets as the second wave of Covid inflicts a heavy toll on the global economy.
Shares in the blue-chip London index erased some of the earlier gains this week, falling by 0.4% on Friday, as optimism over the vaccine was tempered by a record number of new cases in many countries and the prospect of a difficult winter ahead before it becomes widely available.
Official figures show the UK economy grew at a record quarterly rate of more than 15% in the third quarter as lockdown restrictions were eased but that the recovery was losing momentum even before new curbs came in. The Bank of England forecasts GDP to fall again in the final three months of 2020.
Unemployment is also rising despite the government extending the furlough scheme until the end of March, with official figures this week showing the fastest increase in redundancies on record.
Eurozone GDP rose by 12.6% in the three months to September, slightly below an initial estimate of 12.7%, according to official figures on Friday.
The FTSE 100 has gained by more than 700 points since the start of the month as hopes over a vaccine and Joe Biden defeating Donald Trump in the US election lifted financial markets around the world. However, the index is still down by more than 1,000 on the start of the year, before the onset of the pandemic.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average, the leading index of US company shares, has also gained, by about 3% this week, extending a winning streak after its biggest gains since April a week earlier as Biden’s victory over Trump became clearer.
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Shares on Wall Street rallied further on Friday after Biden won in Arizona, flipping control from the Republicans to the Democrats in the state for the first time since 1996. The Dow Jones was up by 1.37% to 29,479 on Friday afternoon.
Spot gold gained 0.8% to $1,890.81 on Friday on rising infections and increased worries about their economic impact and the speed with which vaccines might be available. However, bullion was still in line for its worst weekly loss since the end of September – down more than 3% – as a result of the initial excitement over the vaccine news.
Russ Mould, investment director at the Manchester-based stockbroker AJ Bell, said: “Investors’ perspective on the outlook has definitely been shifted in a positive direction by the vaccine breakthroughs and there is the promise of more news in this area in the weeks to come.
“Clearly the Covid crisis is not at an end despite the positive news announced by Pfizer and counterparts in Russia – perhaps it would be more accurate to paraphrase Churchill and say we are at ‘the end of the beginning’ of the pandemic.”


theguardian--2020-11-13--'Corrosive to democracy': what do Trump's baseless claims really mean?

No one ever really expected Donald Trump to concede the election .
After all , he told the world he wouldn ’ t .
“ The Democrats are trying to rig this election because that ’ s the only way they ’ re going to win , ” he said back on 13 September .
“ I will totally accept the results of this great and historic presidential election if I win , ” he said in 2016 .
But even after he won in 2016 , he continued to spread lies about voter fraud , falsely saying that between @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
He also falsely claimed he only lost the state of New Hampshire because people were illegally bussed in from out of state .
He created a panel to look into these kinds of issues , stacked with some of the country ’ s most prominent voter fraud conspiracy theorists .
The commission , beset by infighting , dissolved without producing evidence of anything .
Now , after losing the 2020 election to Joe Biden , the president is returning to voter fraud to explain his loss .
With flimsy evidence , his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lawsuits across the country .
These efforts are unlikely to change the outcome of the election .
“ What is the downside for humoring him for this little bit of time ?
No one seriously thinks the results will change , ” a senior Republican official anonymously told the Washington Post .
But Trump ’ s claims and the lawsuits are not , and have never really been about , changing vote totals .
By fanning the spectre of voter fraud , Republicans are laying the foundation for questioning the legitimacy of a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an opposing candidate loses .
They are sowing doubt not just about the 2020 election , but whether America ’ s voting system – the foundation of American democracy – is sound .
Beyond this election , these efforts to sow doubt about election results will also augment a long-term Republican effort to justify making it harder to vote for swaths of the electorate .
In a democracy , where governing power is rooted in the consent of the governed , this is deeply dangerous .
Mitch McConnell , the Senate majority leader @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t lecture Republicans about the need to concede because Democrats had challenged the legitimacy of Trump ’ s presidency since 2016 .
But the morning after the 2016 election , Hillary Clinton conceded the race , acknowledging she lost and saying she hoped Trump would be a successful president .
“ Part of democracy is accepting the legitimacy of the election .
We know that because we put so much stock in concession speeches .
Not that concessions have any legal impact , it ’ s because they signal the peaceful transfer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , a law professor at the University of Southern California .
“ It signals to the rest of the world that you can lose an election here and no one loses their head.
” “ Seventy million people voted for him .
He ’ s telling 70 million people he was cheated out of the presidency .
That can ’ t help but be corrosive to democracy , ” she added .
There ’ s already some evidence Trump ’ s effort is working .
80 % of Americans believe Biden won the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Republicans believe so , according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll .
70 % of Republicans also said in a survey this week they didn ’ t believe the election was “ free and fair ” , a stark jump from the 35 % who said the same before the election .
On Saturday , even after every major media outlet called the election for Biden , Trump supporters said they didn ’ t know if they could trust the results , even from Fox News , a network often criticized for cozying up to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ I trust our locality .
But when I heard what ’ s going on in Detroit , and the bigger cities – I heard they were even burning ballots .
I don ’ t know if it ’ s true or not , ” said Eva Niemela , who traveled to the Michigan state capitol to attend one of several “ Stop the Steal ” rallies happening across the country by Trump supporters .
( Ballots were not burned in Detroit . )
Outside the Pennsylvania convention center , where workers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a man who would only give his first name , John , said he was certain Trump won the election .
“ I don ’ t believe the bullshit about what the press says , ” he said .
“ Trump ’ s president .
Not a doubt.
” The comment was a clear echo of Trump , who has falsely said he won the election , and Republicans such as Mike Pompeo , who said there would be a “ smooth transition to a second Trump administration ” .
The strategy Republicans @ @ @ @ @ @ @ confidence in the election , it ’ s also about making it harder to vote in years to come .
The strategy is not new .
For years , Republicans activists have used misleading information to stoke fears about illegal voting , even though there ’ s substantial evidence voter fraud is not a widespread problem .
Republicans have subsequently used to justify measures that make it harder to vote , like voter ID and proof of citizenship laws .
Part of that strategy has been to loudly announce lawsuits alleging nefarious activity @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the claims fall apart in court .
Chiraag Bains , the director of legal strategies at Demos , a civil rights thinktank , said Trump ’ s defeat was an opportunity for the Republican party to distance themselves from claims about fraud .
He expressed some skepticism that would happen and called for progressives to pass measures to pre-empt measures that suppress the vote .
“ I don ’ t think it will go away if I ’ m being honest .
The dishonest fraud claims persist because some people benefit from them @ @ @ @ @ @ @ right wing echo chamber , they want us to be talking about voter fraud , they want us to have this conversation , even though it ’ s incredibly rare…It will persist because it ’ s a powerful justification for these measures that suppress the vote.
” The Trump campaign is doing the same thing now , blasting out inflammatory accusations of fraud that are unsupported by the evidence they file in court .
But judges across the country have had no problem quickly dismissing the cases so far .
But even once @ @ @ @ @ @ @ over , the questions about the integrity of US elections will linger .
Because win or lose , the hallmark of the American elections , which have long been messy and nasty , has been accepting the results .
It ’ s a recognition that the people have spoken and chosen the direction they want the country to go in .
Governance becomes extremely difficult if voters believe the president was not legitimately elected , there is a basis to oppose everything he does .
In a year in which there was record @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and voting by mail , these questions will provide an avenue for Republicans to justify scaling back those expansions .
It ’ s an approach that aims at the preservation of power above all else .
And holding on to the loyal Trump supporters who believe the lies Trump is spreading about the electoral system is a critical part of that single-minded effort to hold on to that power .
“ We need his voters , ” said John Thune , a top Republican in the US senate , said this week , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Georgia senate runoff in January .
“ And he has a tremendous following out there .
”

No one ever really expected Donald Trump to concede the election.
After all, he told the world he wouldn’t. “The Democrats are trying to rig this election because that’s the only way they’re going to win,” he said back on 13 September. “I will totally accept the results of this great and historic presidential election if I win,” he said in 2016.
But even after he won in 2016, he continued to spread lies about voter fraud, falsely saying that between 3 and 5 million people voted illegally. He also falsely claimed he only lost the state of New Hampshire because people were illegally bussed in from out of state. He created a panel to look into these kinds of issues, stacked with some of the country’s most prominent voter fraud conspiracy theorists. The commission, beset by infighting, dissolved without producing evidence of anything.
Now, after losing the 2020 election to Joe Biden, the president is returning to voter fraud to explain his loss. With flimsy evidence, his campaign has touted a slew of baseless lawsuits across the country. These efforts are unlikely to change the outcome of the election. “What is the downside for humoring him for this little bit of time? No one seriously thinks the results will change,” a senior Republican official anonymously told the Washington Post.
But Trump’s claims and the lawsuits are not, and have never really been about, changing vote totals. By fanning the spectre of voter fraud, Republicans are laying the foundation for questioning the legitimacy of a Biden presidency and any election in which an opposing candidate wins. They are sowing doubt not just about the 2020 election, but whether America’s voting system – the foundation of American democracy – is sound.
Beyond this election, these efforts to sow doubt about election results will also augment a long-term Republican effort to justify making it harder to vote for swaths of the electorate. In a democracy, where governing power is rooted in the consent of the governed, this is deeply dangerous.
Mitch McConnell, the Senate majority leader, suggested this week that Democrats shouldn’t lecture Republicans about the need to concede because Democrats had challenged the legitimacy of Trump’s presidency since 2016. But the morning after the 2016 election, Hillary Clinton conceded the race, acknowledging she lost and saying she hoped Trump would be a successful president.
Part of democracy is accepting the legitimacy of the election Franita Tolson
“Part of democracy is accepting the legitimacy of the election. We know that because we put so much stock in concession speeches. Not that concessions have any legal impact, it’s because they signal the peaceful transfer of power,” said Franita Tolson, a law professor at the University of Southern California. “It signals to the rest of the world that you can lose an election here and no one loses their head.”
“Seventy million people voted for him. He’s telling 70 million people he was cheated out of the presidency. That can’t help but be corrosive to democracy,” she added.
There’s already some evidence Trump’s effort is working.Eighty per cent of Americans believe Biden won the election, but about six in 10 Republicans believe so, according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll. Seventy per cent of Republicans also said in a survey this week they didn’t believe the election was “free and fair”, a stark jump from the 35% who said the same before the election.
On Saturday, even after every major media outlet called the election for Biden, Trump supporters said they didn’t know if they could trust the results, even from Fox News, a network often criticized for cozying up to the president and amplifying his misleading messages.
“I trust our locality. But when I heard what’s going on in Detroit, and the bigger cities – I heard they were even burning ballots. I don’t know if it’s true or not,” said Eva Niemela, who traveled to the Michigan state capitol to attend one of several “Stop the Steal” rallies happening across the country by Trump supporters. (Ballots were not burned in Detroit.)
A Trump supporter holds a sign reading ‘count legal votes only’ in Phoenix, Arizona, on 11 November. Photograph: Jim Urquhart/Reuters
Outside the Pennsylvania convention center, where workers were still counting votes in Philadelphia, a man who would only give his first name, John, said he was certain Trump won the election. “I don’t believe the bullshit about what the press says,” he said. “Trump’s president. Not a doubt.”
The comment was a clear echo of Trump, who has falsely said he won the election, and Republicans such as Mike Pompeo, who said there would be a “smooth transition to a second Trump administration”.
The strategy Republicans are deploying is not just about undermining confidence in the election, it’s also about making it harder to vote in years to come.
The strategy is not new. For years, Republicans activists have used misleading information to stoke fears about illegal voting, even though there is substantial evidence that voter fraud is not a widespread problem. Republicans have subsequently used this to justify measures that make it harder to vote, like voter ID and proof of citizenship laws. Part of that strategy has been to loudly announce lawsuits alleging nefarious activity, grabbing headlines, only to see the claims fall apart in court.
Chiraag Bains, the director of legal strategies at Demos, a civil rights thinktank, said Trump’s defeat was an opportunity for the Republican party to distance themselves from claims about fraud. He expressed some skepticism that would happen and called for progressives to pass measures to pre-empt measures that suppress the vote.
“I don’t think it will go away, if I’m being honest. The dishonest fraud claims persist because some people benefit from them,” he said. “The rightwing echo chamber, they want us to be talking about voter fraud, they want us to have this conversation, even though it’s incredibly rare … It will persist because it’s a powerful justification for these measures that suppress the vote.”
The Trump campaign is doing the same thing now, blasting out inflammatory accusations of fraud that are unsupported by the evidence they file in court. But judges across the country have had no problem quickly dismissing the cases so far.
But even once the Trump campaign’s lawsuits are over, the questions about the integrity of US elections will linger.
Because win or lose, the hallmark of the American elections, which have long been messy and nasty, has been accepting the results. It’s a recognition that the people have spoken and chosen the direction they want the country to go in. Governance becomes extremely difficult if voters believe the president was not legitimately elected, there is a basis to oppose everything he does.
In a year in which there was record turnout and many states expanded early voting and voting by mail, these questions will provide an avenue for Republicans to justify scaling back those expansions. It’s an approach that aims at the preservation of power above all else.
And holding on to the loyal Trump supporters who believe the lies Trump is spreading about the electoral system is a critical part of that single-minded effort to hold on to that power.
“We need his voters,” said John Thune, a top Republican in the US Senate, said this week, describing Trump’s importance to the Georgia senate runoff in January. “And he has a tremendous following out there.”
Lois Beckett contributed reporting