Sean Spicer’s Conduct ‘Casts Doubt on This Administration’s Ability to Oversee a Free and Fair Election’
Here’s why this matters:
President Donald Trump spent about ten minutes late Monday afternoon telling top congressional leaders that he would have won the popular vote had 3 to 5 million ballots not been cast “illegally,” according to multiple reports. Trump had made the very same claim in late November, insisting massive voter fraud, entirely against him, existed.
Trump’s embattled White House press secretary Sean Spicer Tuesday afternoon was forced to defend his boss’s lies, and, understandably, he was challenged to do so, because there is no defense. It is a lie, plain and simple.
Spicer’s lies, mistruths, and attempts to evade the truth or somehow support Trump’s false claim was a disaster.
MSNBC Chief Legal Correspondent Ari Melber had the most cogent take on Spicer’s remarks, stating that Spicer is not Donald Trump’s personal spokesperson, he “is the spokesman for the United States, for the White House.”
Melber explained that once the White House, which is supposed to speak for the American people and is responsible for delivering the official policy of the United States, is now “speaking of an allegation of widespread crimes,” a “widespread multi-million person criminal conspiracy,” and yet, is refusing to follow up, which is at best problematic.
“I think the way Sean Spicer is conducting himself, in that press conference today, casts doubt on this administration’s ability to oversee a free and fair election,” Melber stated.
If the White House, the White House Press secretary, or the president have evidence of an actual crime, it is incumbent upon them to contact the appropriate authorities to investigate.
CNN’s Media Correspondent and host of “Reliable Sources,” Brian Stelter, put it this way:
“The only word I can think of is ‘crazy.'”
He added that Trump’s claim, that “three to five million people voted illegally, undermines democracy.”
“If you care about facts, it’s just a dark day.”
“Does Donald Trump want to be remembered as the fake news president?”
And CNN’s Chief Washington Correspondent Jake Tapper, host of “The Lead” and “State of the Union,” called the claim “fiction,” albeit “empirically a stunning allegation for which the White House is providing no evidence.”
Tapper noted that if Trump did not call for an investigation “he would be derelict” in his duties.
“It would likely involve a vast conspiracy involving public officials all over the country,” Tapper said, adding that it would have had far-reaching implications down-ballot.
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