The recording of a telephone call made public Thursday by an American daily reveals that former President Donald Trump pressured Republican officials in Michigan to dissuade them from validating the results of the presidential election in that state.
According to the recording of a telephone call, made public by The Detroit NewsMr. Trump put pressure, on November 17, 2020, on two Republican election agents from Michigan who had just voted to certify the results of the presidential election in their county, where Democrat Joe Biden had come in well ahead.
“We have to fight for our country,” “we can’t let these people steal our country,” he told two Wayne County Republicans, Monica Palmer and William Hartman, on that call.
Republican National Committee Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel of Michigan also participated in the exchange, saying, “If you can go home tonight, don’t sign the document.” […] We’ll find you lawyers,” referring to the county’s official voting results.
After nodding, Mr. Trump added: “We will take care of it.” »
The two officials then left the certification meeting without signing the document. The next day, they tried unsuccessfully to reverse their vote in favor of certification, claiming to have been pressured, reports The Detroit News.
Nearly 18% of Michigan’s population lives in Wayne County.
“What I publicly said and repeated at the time […]is that there was ample evidence that warranted an audit,” said Mr.me McDaniel in a statement.
Mr. Trump’s campaign spokesperson, Steven Cheung, for his part told the newspaper that the former president intended to “scrupulously ensure respect for the laws and guarantee the integrity of the election, including by investigating the rigged and stolen 2020 presidential election.”
Aged 77, the former president will also be tried in March in Washington for unlawful attempts to invalidate the results of the 2020 election.
Mr. Trump is also accused of electoral pressure in the state of Georgia, where, according to a recording of a telephone call, he asked Brad Raffensperger, a senior official in that state, to “find” nearly 12,000 ballots in his name to catch up.