Donald Trump Blasts ‘Ridiculous’ Recount Efforts: ‘This Is a Scam’
UPDATED: Donald Trump called recent recount efforts lead by Green Party candidate Jill Stein a “scam,” in a statement released on Saturday.
“This recount is just a way for Jill Stein… to fill her coffers with money, most of which she will never ever spend on this ridiculous recount,” Trump wrote.
According to CNN, Stein had raised $5 million by Friday.
“This is a scam by the Green Party for an election that has already been conceded,” Trump wrote, “and the results of this election should be respected instead of being challenged and abused, which is exactly what Jill Stein is doing.”
On Friday, Wisconsin election officials announced plans to move forward with a recount after Stein and Reform Party candidate Rocky De La Fuente submitted petitions.
Clinton campaign general counsel Marc Erik Elias wrote in a Medium post published Saturday that they “intend to participate” in the recount process in Wisconsin “in order to ensure the process proceeds in a manner that is fair to all sides.” Elias also wrote that the campaign will take the same approach if recount efforts move forward in Pennsylvania and Michigan as well.
Some experts have raised questions over the possibility that some elections systems may have been hacked, based on turnout data. Others have said that there is no evidence as of yet that such a hacking occurred. In the Medium post, the Clinton campaign said it had “not uncovered any actionable evidence of hacking or outside attempts to alter the voting technology,” but still plan to participate in the recount process.
Trump quoted Clinton in his statement writing, “as Hillary Clinton herself said on election night… ‘We must accept this result and then look to the future.'”
On Sunday, Trump doubled down on his criticism of the recount, characterizing Clinton as a hypocrite in a series of tweets.
Hillary's debate answer on delay: "That is horrifying. That is not the way our democracy works. Been around for 240 years. We've had free —
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 27, 2016
and fair elections. We've accepted the outcomes when we may not have liked them, and that is what must be expected of anyone standing on a –
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 27, 2016
during a general election. I, for one, am appalled that somebody that is the nominee of one of our two major parties would take that kind —
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 27, 2016
of position." Then, separately she stated, "He said something truly horrifying … he refused to say that he would respect the results of —
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 27, 2016
this election. That is a direct threat to our democracy." She then said, "We have to accept the results and look to the future, Donald —
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 27, 2016
Trump is going to be our President. We owe him an open mind and the chance to lead." So much time and money will be spent – same result! Sad
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 27, 2016
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