Post –Election Legal Briefing w Q&A : Biden general counsel, Dana Remus, Bob Bauer, legal advisor, and Kate Bedingfield, Dir of communications
KATE >> HI, EVERYONE.b THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US THIS AFTERNOON. WE APPRECIATE YOU TAKING SOME TIME TODAY. TODAY, WE'RE GOING TO OFFER AN UPDATE ON WHERE THINGS STAND AND GIVE SOME, AN OPPORTUNITY FOR BOB BAUER, OUR SENIOR COUNSEL, TO TALK TO YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT SOME OF WHAT IS GOING ON IN TERMS OF LEGAL ATTEMPTS BY THE TRUMP CAMPAIGN TO UNDERMINE THE OUTCOME OF THIS ELECTION.
FIRST, I JUST WANT TO SAY WE'RE EXTREMELY PROUD AND EXCITED THAT JOE BIDEN AND KAMALA HARRIS ARE NOW PRESIDENT ELECT BIDEN AND VICE PRESIDENT ELECT HARRIS DESPITE A GLOBAL PANDEMIC 108 MILLION AMERICANS MOST EVER VOTED IN THIS ELECTION AND 75 MILLION OF THEM RECORD NUMBER VOTED FOR BIDEN AND HARRIS. BIDEN REBUILT THE BLUE WALL WINNING MICHIGAN, WISCONSIN AND PENNSYLVANIA AND WE WILL WIN ARIZONA AND GEORGIA WHEN THE COUNTING IS DONE THERE, TOO.
IN FACT I BELIEVE THE ADVANTAGE THAT BIDEN CURRENTLY HAS IN GEORGIA IS ACTUALLY LARGER THAN THE ADVANTAGE THAT TRUMP WON MICHIGAN BY IN 2016. PRESIDENT-ELECT BIDEN WON MICHIGAN AND NEBRASKA TOO BY LARGER MARGINS THAN TRUMP DID IN 2016 BECAUSE HE ASSEMBLED THE BROAD DIVERSE COALITION FOR A DECISIVE WIN AND ONLY AMERICAN TO UNSEAT AN INCUMBENT PRESIDENT
AND SO WHILE YOU'VE HEARD NOISE FROM TRUMP AND HIS ALLIES, FOR EXAMPLE, THE REPUBLICAN SECRETARY OF STATE IN GEORGIA SAID THE GEORGIA ELECTION WAS ADMINISTERED WELL. THE REPUBLICAN CHAIR OF COBB COUNTY IN GEORGIA CALLED ON STATE AND NATIONAL LEADERS TO RESPECT THE OUTCOME OF THE RECENT ELECTION AND, QUOTE, TRANSITION IN GRACE. AND OF COURSE FORMER PRESIDENT GEORGE W. BUSH CALLED PRESIDENT-ELECT BIDEN AND VICE PRESIDENT-ELECT HARRIS TO CONGRATULATE THEM.
IT'S JUST NOISE AND I'LL TURN IT OVER TO BOB TO EXPLAIN MORE WHY THAT IS BUT BEFORE I DO THAT I WANT TO SAY CLEARLY AND DEFINITIVELY THAT THE AMERICAN PEOPLE HAVE SPOKEN IN THIS ELECTION, THAT OUR DEMOCRACY AND THE PRINCIPLES UPON WHICH THIS COUNTRY IS BUILT ARE STRONGER THAN ANY OTHER ATTEMPT TO UNDERMINE THEM AND JOE BIDEN WHO WON MORE VOTES WILL TAKE THE OFFICE IN JANUARY 20, 2021.
I'LL HAND IT OVER TO BOB BAUER TO WALK YOU THROUGH MORE DETAIL.
BOB >> THANK YOU, KATE, AND I'M HERE WITH GENERAL COUNSEL, DANA REMUS, I'LL MAKE OPENING COMMENTS AND THEN WE'LL TAKE THE QUESTIONS.
THE PURPOSE OF THE BRIEFING TODAY IS TO PUT IN PERSPECTIVE SOME OF WHAT YOU'RE READING AND HEARING ABOUT, WHICH IS NOISE, NOT REALLY LAW, THEATRICS, NOT REALLY LAWSUITS. AND I WANT TO FOCUS ON A FEW VERY SPECIFIC ISSUES.
NUMBER ONE, WHY THE TRUMP LAWSUITS ARE FAILING AROUND THE COUNTRY AND WILL CONTINUE TO FAIL. I WANT TO PICK OUT A COUPLE OF SPECIFIC ISSUES IN THE LEGAL PROCESS THAT YOU SHOULD BE FAMILIAR WITH. ANY UPCOMING RECOUNTS AND WHAT THEY MIGHT MEAN AND IN PARTICULAR ARGUMENTS THAT YOU'RE HEARING FROM THE REPUBLICANS.
CERTAINLY FRAUD, MOST NOTABLY, BUT ALSO SUPPOSEDLY LINKED TO THIS ARGUMENT ABOUT FRAUD, THE EXCLUSION OF OBSERVERS FROM POLLING PLACES. AND THEN I'LL SAY A BIT ABOUT THE STATE LEGISLATIVE ACTIVITY THAT YOU MAY BE HEARING ABOUT WHERE I THINK THERE ARE ALSO SOME SIGNIFICANT MISCONCEPTIONS. AND WHEN I'M DONE I THINK YOU'RE GOING TO FIND OUT VERY QUICKLY OR UNDERSTAND VERY QUICKLY WHERETHE REAL FRAUD IN THIS PROCESS ACTUALLY LIES. BUT LET ME BEGIN BY TALKING A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE LAWSUITS TO DATE.
JUST TO GIVE YOU AN OVERALL PERSPECTIVE SINCE YOU'RE READING THAT THEY'RE BEING FILED BUT THEIR DISPOSITION ISN'T ALWAYS VERY CLEAR.
THROUGH ELECTION DAY, FROM JUNE THROUGH ELECTION DAY, JUDGES HAVE DISMISSED TRUMP CAMPAIGN
LAWSUITS IN THIS ELECTION AGAINST THIS ELECTION AS UTTERLY UNSUPPORTED BY EVIDENCE.
THAT'S JUST FROM JUNE THROUGH ELECTION DAY. SIX SUITS DISMISSED ON THAT BASIS. SINCE ELECTION DAY, THE PACE HAS PICKED UP. AND JUDGES HAVE DISMISSED ANOTHER SEVEN CASES THAT THE TRUMP CAMPAIGN BROUGHT IN THESE STATES. GEORGIA, MICHIGAN, NEVADA, AND PENNSYLVANIA. SO THAT'S QUITE THE RECORD. TIME AFTER TIME. NOW I WANT TO GO THROUGH A FEW OF THESE TO GIVE YOU A FLAVOR FOR WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT. LET'S TAKE, FOR EXAMPLE, SIX MONTHS AGO, TO GO IN THE PREELECTION PERIOD AND TALK ABOUT A TRUMP CAMPAIGN EFFORT TO LIMIT THE ABILITY OF VOTERS TO VOTE BY MAIL INCLUDING BY DROP BOXES, AND THERE THE REPUBLICANS MADE THEIR USUAL ARGUMENT THAT THESE DROP BOXES, THE USE OF THESE DROPBOXES BOXES WOULD LEAD TO FRAUD. THE JUDGE WHO LED THIS WAS TRUMP APPOINTEE AND YOU'LL SEE IT AS A THEME THROUGHOUT THESE CASES AND HE THREW THE CASE OUT SAYING THAT THE CONTENTIONS, THE FRAUD-RELATED CONTENTIONS THAT THE TRUMP CAMPAIGN MADE WERE PURELY SPECULATIVE AND UNSUPPORTED BY THE EVIDENCE THIS IS A CASE BY THE WAY CAPTIONED VERY SPECIFICALLY DONALD J.TRUMP VERSUS BOCVAR A TRUMP LAWSUIT.
AND ANOTHER LAWSUIT IN NEW JERSEY BALLOTS CASTED AFTER THURSDAY BY THE STATE LEGISLATURE THERE THE JUDGE THREW IT OUT FINDING NO EVIDENCE WHATSOEVER THAT THE MAIL-IN BALLOTING PROGRAM ADOPTED BY NEW JERSEY WOULD LEAD TO ELECTION FRAUD INCLUDING SPECIFICALLY NO EVIDENCE THAT THE VOTER FRAUD WOULD RESULT FROM BALLOTS THAT WERE CAST AFTER ELECTION DAY THAT THERE WERE SUCH VOTER FRAUD RESULTING FROM VOTES CAST AFTER ELECTION DAY.
THE TRUMP CAMPAIGN SUED THE MONTANA VOTE BY MAIL SYSTEM. AND AGAIN A FEDERAL COURT THREW OUT THE SUIT AND I THINK HERE THE RHETORIC OR SHALL WE SAY THE MEASURED COMMENTS OF THE COURT DESERVE QUOTATION. THE COURT EXPLAINED THAT IT WAS REQUIRED TO THROW THE SUIT OUT BECAUSE THE TRUMP CAMPAIGN QUOTE CONTENTION THAT THE UPCOMING ELECTION BOTH NATIONALLY AND MONTANA WILL FALL PREY TO WIDESPREAD FRAUD IS A FICTION. SO THE COURT DISMISSED IT AS A FICTION. AND AGAIN THIS IS A TRUMP CAMPAIGN LAWSUIT NOT A PARTY LAWSUIT.
DONALD J. TRUMP FOR PRESIDENT VERSUS BULLOCK AND FILED A SUIT ATTACKING EXPANDED VOTE BY MAIL IN STATE OF NEVADA, AN APPOINTEE BY GEORGE W. BUSH THREW IT OUT ONLY SPECULATIVE FARFETCHED CLAIMS BY FRAUD A CASE BROUGHT BY DONALD TRUMP'S CAMPAIGN COMMITTEE.
ONE CASE AFTER ANOTHER AND THIS IS JUST A SAMPLE WHERE THE CLAIMS THEY'RE BRINGING AMPLIFIED THROUGH PRESS RELEASES THE FABLED FOUR SEASONS LANDSCAPING COMPANY PRESS CONFERENCE BY RUDY GIULIANI TURNS OUT TO BE MERITLESS AND THE COURTS RECOGNIZE IT AS SUCH.
IN FACT, AND I JUST WANT TO FOCUS EVERYBODY ON WHAT THE TRUMP CAMPAIGN SAYS WHEN THEY ACTUALLY SPEAK TO A JUDGE VERSUS WHAT THEY SAY IN PARKING LOTS AT PRESS CONFERENCES, IN A CASE IN MONTGOMERY COUNTY IN PENNSYLVANIA, IN A CASE, THIS CASE INVOLVED, BY THE WAY, THE QUESTION OF WHETHER OR NOT A BALLOT WOULD BE INVALIDATED FOR MISSING A SIGNATURE IN A PARTICULAR LOCATION OR AN ADDRESS IN A PARTICULAR LOCATION EVEN THOUGH THE VOTER'S ADDRESS WAS READILY IDENTIFIABLE ELSEWHERE, AND THE TRUMP LAWYERS WERE ACTUALLY PRESSED ON THE QUESTION OF WHETHER THEY WERE ALLEGING FRAUD.
SO I SIMPLY WANT TO GIVE YOU THE FOLLOWING FROM THE TRANSCRIPT BECAUSE THIS IS WHAT'S TAKING PLACE INSIDE THE COURTHOUSE AND NOT IN THE PARKING LOT. JUDGE, IN YOUR PETITION YOU DON'T CLAIM ANY OF THE VOTERS COMMITTED ANY FRAUD, CORRECT? TRUMP LAWYER: ACCUSING SOMEONE OF FRAUD IS A PRETTY SET, WE WANT TO GET THE ELECTION DONE. JUDGE: TRUMP I UNDERSTAND I'M ASKING FOR A SPECIFIC QUESTION SPECIFIC ANSWER ARE YOU CLAIMING FRAUD. TRUMP LAWYER TO OUR KNOWLEDGE AT PRESENT NO. JUDGE, ARE YOU CLAIMING ANY INFLUENCE. TRUMP LAWYER: TO OUR KNOWLEDGE AT PRESENT NO: JUDGE: IS THAT REQUIRED TO LODGE THAT CHALLENGE DO YOU HAVE TO ACCOMPANY YOUR.COMPLAINT WITH AN ALLEGATION OF FRAUD? TRUMP LAWYER: NO, IT DOESN'T MATTER IF THERE WAS FRAUD. IT DOESN'T MATTER IF THE MISTAKE IS A BIG DEAL OR NOT.
SO I THINK THAT'S FAIRLY TELLING. VERY DIFFERENT THAN WHAT YOU'RE HEARING OF COURSE IN THE PARKING LOT. NOW LET'S MOVE TO THE QUESTION THAT YOU'VE HEARD COME UP REPEATEDLY ABOUT OBSERVERS AND LACK OF TRANSPARENCY BECAUSE OBSERVERS WERE EXCLUDED OR LIMITED IN THEIR ACCESS TO THE VOTE COUNT IN POLLING PLACES.
LET'S BE CLEAR: POLL WATCHERS ARE CREDENTIALED. THEY'RE IDENTIFIED THROUGH THE STATE. IT'S VERY EASY TO FACT CHECK THIS CLAIM AND OF COURSE THESE CLAIMS HAVE BEEN REPEATEDLY FACT CHECKED. THE REPUBLICANS AFTER ALL BEFORE THE ELECTION WERE BRAGGING THEY HAD THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS OF POLL WATCHERS READY TO GO. AND IT WAS ONLY AFTER THE ELECTION ON THIS SHAM ALLEGATION ABOUT TRANSPARENCY THAT THEY CLAIMED THEIR POLL WATCHERS WERE NOT PERMITTED TO BE INCLUDED. AS A MATTER OF FACT, THEY WERE THERE IN FORCE THE SAME AS DEMOCRATIC POLL WATCHERS WERE THERE TO DO TO WATCH UNDER THE ELECTION CODE. AND IN FRONT OF THE JUDGE RATHER THAN IN THE PARKING LOT TRUMP LAWYERS HAVE ADMITTED IN CASES THAT HAD TO BE DISMISSED BECAUSE OF THAT ADMISSION THAT INDEED THEY HAD POLL WATCHERS PRESENT. THAT WAS TRUE IN CASES IN PENNSYLVANIA AND ALSO IN MICHIGAN. AS YOU KNOW, AND KATE MENTIONED THIS A MINUTE AGO, THE TWO CURRENT SENATORS IN GEORGIA UNHAPPY ABOUT THE RUN-OFFS THEY WERE RUN INTO COMPLAINED THAT THE SECRETARY OF STATE HAD NOT CONDUCTED A TRANSPARENT PROCESS AND YOU CAN READ WHAT HIS RESPONSE TO THAT WAS. REPUBLICANS ATTACKING REPUBLICANS ON THIS BOGUS CLAIM OF LACK OF OBSERVER ACCESS. SIMPLY UNTRUE AND EASILY VERIFIED ON THE FACTS.
Gotta love the..."do we have anything legal to back us up?" "Umm, no, we just know that the Rebublicans cant win because I said so".....Haha, they are going to let the salt flow.
TWO FINAL COMMENTS. MANY OF YOU ARE AWARE THAT THERE MAY BE RECOUNTS.
LET'S TALK ABOUT WHAT IT MEANS FOR THERE TO BE A RECOUNT. ONE FACT AND ONE FACT ALONE I THINK MIGHT ANSWER ANY QUESTION THAT YOU HAVE.. SINCE 2000, IN 31 STATEWIDE RECOUNTS, THE AVERAGE CHANGE IN VOTES WAS 430, AND THE MEDIAN CHANGE WAS 267. END OF STORY. THESE MARGINS CANNOT BE OVERCOME IN RECOUNTS. SO THE RECOUNTS ARE YET ANOTHER PIECE OF THE POLITICAL THEATRICS ALONG WITH THE LAWSUITS BEING DISMISSED WITH THEIR CLAIMS OF FRAUD, THEY SHOULDN'T BE TAKEN TO BE A SERIOUS CHALLENGE TO THE ELECTION AND THEY WILL FAIL AS SUCH. FINALLY, MY LAST COMMENT BEFORE WE TAKE YOUR QUESTIONS HAS TO DO WITH ACTIVITY IN THE STATE LEGISLATURES. SOME PEOPLE ARE UNDER THE IMPRESSION THAT A STATE LEGISLATURE CANNOT ONLY HOLD HEARINGS, WHICH IT CERTAINLY CAN DO AND COMPLAIN, WHICH IT CAN CERTAINLY DO, BUT THE STATE LEGISLATURE, AFTER PROVIDING FOR ELECTORATES TO BE SELECTED BY THE POPULAR VOTE CAN, AFTER THE ELECTION, DECIDE THAT'S NOT THE WAY THEY SHOULD HAVE GONE AND WHATEVER GROUND THEY GIVE THEY HAVE THE CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT AFTER THE FACT RETROACTIVELY THAT'S NOT TRUE AND THAT'S NOT THE CONSTITUTION IT'S NOT CONSISTENT WITH THE CONSTITUTION IT WILL NEVER HAPPEN I WANT TO BE CLEAR THAT'S ANOTHER BIT OFCALL IT WHAT YOU WILL PUFFERY PROPAGANDA PUT OUT ON THE TRUMP SIDE IT'S VERY EASY TO ESTABLISH THAT IT ISN'T TRUE. SO WITH THOSE PRELIMINARY COMMENTS, DANA AND I WOULD BE GLAD TO TAKE YOUR QUESTIONS.
IN THE MEANTIME IT WILL BE THEATER BUT IT WILL BE PLAYING TO INCREASINGLY LIGHT CROWDS UNTIL IT EMPTIES COMPLETELY AND JOE BIDEN AND KAMALA HARRIS TAKE THEIR OATH OF OFFICE. I WANT TO PAUSE FOR A MINUTE TO OFFER DANA A MINUTE TO COMMENT AS WELL.
DANA >> I WOULD JUST ADD THAT THE PRESIDENTIAL TRANSITION ACT AND ACT OF CONGRESS ACKNOWLEDGES HOW IMPORTANT THE SMOOTH AND EFFECTIVE TRANSITION OF ADMINISTRATIONS IS.IT LAYS OUT THE PROCESS FOR THE TRANSITION. AND IT ENSURES THAT EVEN AS THE POLITICAL PROCESS IS IN PROCESS PRODUCING A WINNER, THAT THE GOVERNMENT MUST RISE ABOVE POLITICS AND ENSURE THE BEST INTERESTS OF THE COUNTRY. AND SO IT HAS SET FORTH THE STEPS THAT BOTH CAMPAIGNS HAVE TAKEN OVER THE SUMMER AND TAKE NOW THAT WE HAVE A PRESIDENT-ELECT. IT GOVERNS. WE TRUST THAT IT WILL GUIDE THE STEPS FORWARD AND IT WILL ENSURE THAT THE PRESIDENT AND PRESIDENT-ELECT AND VICE PRESIDENT-ELECT HAVE EVERYTHING THAT THEY NEED. AS BOB SAID, THEY ARE MOVING FORWARD. THEY ARE PREPARING TO GOVERN. WE HAVE ABSOLUTELY NO WORRY OR NO DOUBT THAT WHEN THEY TAKE OFFICE THEY WILL BE READY TO GO.
KATE>> WE HAVE YAMISH NEXT. YAMISH > THANKS SO MUCH FOR TAKING MY QUESTIONS. I HAVE A QUESTION, TWO-PART QUESTION. FIRST IS ABOUT THE LEGAL STRATEGY I KNOW YOU SAID A LOT OF THIS IS JUST NOISE BUT IS THERE A LEGAL STRATEGY YOU WOULD ARTICULATE ARE YOU GATHERING EVIDENCE ON YOUR END HAVING TO PROACTIVELY KIND OF GET TOGETHER AND HAVE A CASE TOGETHER, COULD YOU TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HOW MUCH TIME IT'S TAKING? THE SECOND THING I HAVE I'VE HEARD BOB SAY THIS A BUNCH OF TIME WE'VE QUOTED YOU SAYING IT'S GOING TO BE AN EMBARRASSMENT IF THEY GO TO THE SUPREME COURT IT'S IMPOSSIBLE FOR THEM TO GET ANY SORT OF CASE TO THE SUPREME COURT. BUT AT THIS POINT AGAIN DO YOU SEE ANY AVENUE FOR THAT?
BOB >> NO. IN THE PAST WHAT I'VE SAID THEY COULD PUSH A CASE UP TO THE SUPREME COURT. I DON'T KNOW WHICH ONE OF THESE LOSING CASES THEY'RE GOING TO INFLICT ON THE SUPREME COURT, BUT THEY WON'T WIN IT. THEY WON'T OVERTURN THE ELECTION. I WAS REFERRING AT SOME POINT TO DONALD TRUMP SAYING WE'RE GOING IMMEDIATELY TO THE SUPREME COURT. AND I WASN'T QUITE SURE PRECISELY HOW HE INTENDED TO GO IMMEDIATELY TO THE SUPREME COURT. BUT IF THEY HAVE CASES PENDING IN FEDERAL DISTRICT COURT, THEY CAN APPEAL THEM AND THEN ATTEMPT TO AFTER LOSING AT THE APPELLATE LEVEL GET THE SUPREME COURT TO HEAR THE CASE, BUT THE EMBARRASSMENT WILL BE, AND THE QUALITY OF THE CASE THEY BRING AND IN THE CERTAINTY OF THE DEFEAT THAT THEY'RE GOING TO FACE. AS FAR AS EVIDENCE IS CONCERNED, THEY'RE THE ONES WHO WERE SUPPOSED TO BE PRODUCING EVIDENCE. WE HAVE THE EVIDENCE AND IT'S IN THE FORM OF 75-PLUS MILLION VOTERS AND COUNTING. SO THAT'S OUR EVIDENCE. OUR EVIDENCE IS THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE VOTED FOR JOE BIDEN AND THE NUMBER OF ELECTORAL VOTES HE WON. THEIR EVIDENCE AS I POINTED OUT BY WALKING YOU THROUGH JUST A HANDFUL OF THIS MATERIAL, THEIR EVIDENCE DOESN'T EXIST. THERE'S NOTHING THEY HAVE TO RAISE ANY QUESTIONS WHATSOEVER ABOUT THIS ELECTION AND THE LEGAL PROCESS.
JACKIE >> THANKS FOR TAKING MY QUESTION. MY QUESTION IS WHAT'S YOUR BEST GUESS AT WHY THE GSA HAS DELAYED ASCERTAINMENT? THE LAW ONLY SAYS APPARENT WINNER. IT DOESN'T STIPULATE THAT THE STATES MUST HAVE CERTIFIED THE RESULTS. HAVE THEY GIVEN A TIMELINE FOR THE AN UPDATE AND WHAT ARE THE LEGAL OPTIONS ON THE TABLE IF YOU CAN'T ELABORATE ON THOSE OPTIONS CAN YOU POINT TO ANY CASES THAT MIGHT BE SEEN AS A PRECEDENT OR ANY LEGAL TEXT THAT WOULD APPLY?
BOB >> FOR SOMEBODY TO JUDGE HOW THIS IS DONE IN THE PAST THEY SHOULD LOOK TO THE PAST, AND WITH THE EXCEPTION OF FLORIDA 2000, WHICH IS A VERY BAD EXAMPLE, I THINK AS YOU ALL KNOW, CERTAINLY NOT AT ALL ANALOGOUS TO THIS SITUATION, THE ASCERTAINMENT AS IT'S CALLED WOULD HAVE BEEN DONE BY NOW. NOW, YOU READ PRESS REPORTS THAT INDICATE THAT THE WHITE HOUSE IS DIRECTING AGENCIES TO NOT COOPERATE IN ANY TRANSITION. I DO NOT KNOW WHETHER THAT'S INFLUENCING THE BEHAVIOR OF THE GSA BUT I DO WANT TO EMPHASIZE THAT HOWEVER THIS DEVELOPS, WE CAN CONTINUE AND ARE CONTINUING WITH THE TRANSITION.THESE TRANSMISSION MEETINGS ARE ONGOING, THEY'RE PROGRESSING. THERE'S NO QUESTION THAT WHICHEVER ROUTE WE TRAVEL HERE WE ARE GOING TO BE MOVING VERY QUICKLY AND VERY DECISIVELY TOWARD A FULL TRANSITION THAT ENABLES THE MREKT BIDEN AND VICE PRESIDENT-ELECT HARRIS TO ASSUME THE OFFICE FULLY READY. IF ANYBODY WANTS TO UNDERSTAND SORT OF WHAT MIGHT BE TAKING PLACE AT GSA THEY SHOULD LOOK AT THE PRECEDENT THEN MEASURE IT AGAINST THE BEHAVIOR OF THE GSA TO DATE. DANA, DID YOU HAVE ANYTHING TOADD TO THAT?
DANA >> I DON'T HAVE MUCH TO ADD TO THAT. I THINK THAT THERE'S EVERY INDICATION FROM EVERY CORNER THAT PRESIDENT TRUMP, HIS CAMPAIGN, HIS ALLIES, ARE TRYING EVERYTHING TO INTERFERE WITH THE INEVITABLE. BUT WE ARE PUSHING FORWARD AND WE ARE CONFIDENT THAT THE INEVITABLE IS A VERY SUCCESSFUL ADMINISTRATION.
ALEXIS KORS WSJ>> THANKS FOR DOING THIS. I WANTED TO ASK ANOTHER QUESTION ABOUT STATE CERTIFICATION, A COUPLE OF LAWSUITS THAT TRUMP CAMPAIGN HAS FILED SPECIFICALLY ASKING TO HALT OR DELAY CERTIFICATION. WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THEIR BIDS TO KIND OF SLOW DOWN THAT PROCESS AND THE CLAIMS THEY'RE MAKING ON THAT PART TRYING TO ATTACK THAT PART OF THE PROCESS.
BOB >> YOU'LL SEE A LOT OF MANEUVERS LIKE THAT OR SOME MANEUVERS LIKE THAT AFTER AN ELECTION. STATE CERTIFICATES REQUIREMENTS VARIES FROM STATE TO STATE, THE COUNTY CERTIFIES THE STATE CERTIFIES. THE TRUMP CAMPAIGN NOT WITH A VIEW TOWARD WINNING THE ELECTION WHICH IT CAN'T BUT WITH A VIEW TO SLOW THINGS UP MAY WELL WORK WITH THE ALLIES IN THE VARIOUS STATES TO PROVIDE CERTIFICATION. WE'RE NOT WORRIED ABOUT IT. AT THE END OF THE DAY YOU CAN PERHAPS CREATE OBSTACLES TO THE SMOOTH FUNCTIONING OF THE PROCESS BUT YOU CAN'T END AT THE END OF IT WHEN IT'S ALL SAID AND DONE YOU CAN'T SUCCEED IN STOPPING THE PROCESS FROM COMING TO THE INEVITABLE CONCLUSION THAT DANA JUST MENTIONED. SO IT'S A PROCEDURAL MANEUVER THAT THEY MAY ATTEMPT, BUT IT'S NOT GOING TO HAVE ANY EFFECT ON THE OUTCOME.
DANA >> AND I THINK IT GOES BACK TO WHERE BOB STARTED, WHICH IS THEY SIMPLY HAVE NO EVIDENCE. AND TO SUCCEED IN A LAWSUIT THAT WILL STOP CERTIFICATION THERE HAS TO BE EVIDENCE OF A PROBLEM WITH THE PROCESS. THEY HAVE TO COME FORWARD WITH EVIDENCE OF FRAUD AND PROBLEMS WHICH DESPITE MULTIPLE OPPORTUNITIES TO DO SO THEY HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO DO SO. SO WE ARE FULLY PREPARED FOR CONTINUED SUITS AND CONTINUED ATTEMPTS TO CREATE CONFUSION AND TO DO EVERYTHING THEY POSSIBLY CAN TO SLOW THINGS, BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY THEY HAVE NO EVIDENCE AND THUS THEY WILL NOT BE ABLE TO STOP THIS PROCESS.
Sorry about the ALL CAPS thingy....
No. that was the right way. Otherwise I would have thought that was a comment at first.