Washington:
With just four days left until Election Day, former President Donald Trump’s unsubstantiated claims of voter fraud in Pennsylvania raise concerns that he will seek to overturn the vote not only in Pennsylvania but also in other key battleground states. This is causing concern that this may be the case.
President Trump’s comments raise concerns about violence and attempts to disrupt the election process, similar to the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol.
President Trump’s claims have raised concerns that he is trying to blame potential losses in Pennsylvania on voter fraud. In a social media post Thursday, he said, “We caught them cheating on a massive scale in Pennsylvania,” and called for criminal prosecution. A Harris campaign official countered that Trump’s claims were an attempt to “soothe doubts about our elections and our institutions at a time when we fear we won’t win.”
Kyle Miller, a Pennsylvania policy strategist, warned that Trump’s actions are “sowing the seeds for an attempt to overturn the election results against Donald Trump.” Miller believes Trump and his allies have learned from the experience of 2020 and recognize the need to promote these ideas sooner.
President Trump recently doubled down on his baseless claims by claiming that an examination of the suspect’s voter registration forms was evidence of voter fraud. But state officials and democracy advocates say the incidents show the system is working as intended.
Following a lawsuit filed by the Trump campaign, a judge extended the mail-in voting deadline in Bucks County and investigated possible registration fraud in Lancaster and York counties, finding no evidence of illegal voting.
The U.S. electoral system, rooted in the 1789 Constitution, offers Mr. Trump and his supporters the opportunity to challenge or delay the election results. In 2020, the Trump campaign tried 60 cases on fraud charges, all of which failed. But the experience prepared lawyers on both sides for the possibility of a new dispute.
If Trump supporters are able to overturn or delay the state’s adverse results through the courts or legislative obstruction, they could prevent duly elected Ms. Harris from becoming president and swing the results in Mr. Trump’s favor. Some states have warned local authorities against illegal intervention or refusal to certify results. Ultimately, the nine-member Supreme Court, which includes six conservative justices, including three appointed by President Trump, will be the final arbiter of such cases.
