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Added on the 28/11/2020 14:28:57 - Copyright : Euronews EN
Article II of the US Constitution specifically gives the states the right to administer their own presidential elections. Specifically, it says 'Each state shall appoint, in such manner as the Legislature thereof may direct' its presidential electors. President Donald Trump said Wednesday morning that 'we'll be going to the US Supreme Court,' and 'we want all voting to stop.' But according to CNN commentator Elie Honig, Trump's statements oversimplify and misconceive how elections work and how the courts function. The United States of America has 51 separate and different systems for elections: one for each of its 50 states, and one for the District of Columbia. Furthermore, the federally mandated 'safe harbor' period gives states time to complete vote-counting and certification processes. In 2020, the period goes until December 8th. Congress must accept any state results certified by that date.
The Supreme Court on Tuesday rejected a request to overturn President-elect Joe Biden's victory in Pennsylvania. According to Business Insider, the request was put forth by a group of Republican state legislators, led by US Rep. Mike Kelly. They asked the court for an emergency order nullifying Biden's win, claiming the state legislature did not have the power to expand mail-in voting. It's yet another defeat among dozens of the Trump campaign's ongoing attempts to keep Trump in office for a second term. Battleground states Pennsylvania, Michigan, Georgia, Nevada, Arizona, and Wisconsin have all certified their results as of last week. Tuesday is also the "safe harbor" deadline by which all 50 states have to certify their results and resolve any legal disputes surrounding the results.
In PA, MN, and TX, federal judges have ordered election officials to "segregate" certain ballots. The vote-by-mail ballots that arrive late are being set aside in case another court invalidates them. Around 127,000 votes that were cast at drive-thru locations in TX during the early voting period. Those ballots have been specially marked for the same reason, says Business Insider. All of these court orders came after extensive litigation and it's not clear how many votes are at risk.
President Donald Trump claims his campaign staff had to move the site of his rally to comply with Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf's COVID-19 protocols. At a rally in Allentown on Tuesday, Trump fumed about it to his supporters and issued a none-too-subtle threat to the state's Democratic governor. According to CNN, Trump threatened to withhold federal aid or other assistance the next time Pennsylvania needs it because Gov. Wolf inconvenienced him. I'll remember it, Tom. I'm gonna remember it, Tom. 'Hello, Mr. President, this is Governor Wolf, I need help, I need help.' You know what? These people are bad. President Donald J. Trump Campaign Rally, Allentown, Pennsylvania Trump's words may have a chilling effect on other governors, who do not wish to have to factor in Trump's wrath in making decisions for their state. It also indicates Trump's mindset that the public purse is something he can wield as a personal weapon against those who displease him.
Donald Trump arrives for another day of jury selection in his historic criminal trial, in stark contrast to his White House rival President Joe Biden who headed out on the campaign trail. "I should be right now in Pennsylvania and Florida. In many other states, North Carolina, Georgia, campaigning. This is all coming from the Biden White House because the guy can't put two sentences together. He can't campaign," Trump says as he enters court. SOUNDBITE
Police cars arrive at Miami's federal courthouse, and policemen don jackets and sunglasses, as Donald Trump was due to surrender to face dozens of felony charges of mishandling US government secrets, in the most serious yet of a firestorm of criminal probes threatening to derail his bid to win back the White House. IMAGES
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