Pressed on Trump overturning elections results, AG Todd Blanche loses direct answer
Blanche rejects the scenario
During an exchange with Bash, Blanche was asked whether Trump was preparing to challenge results in Alaska or elsewhere if the midterms did not go his way. Bash raised the possibility of consequences like those following January 6. Bash said she was asking because of Blanche’s earlier use of the phrase “doomsday scenario.” Blanche responded that the lawsuit aimed to stop fraud and called the premise of her question untrue.
Alaska lawsuit draws criticism
Trump has acknowledged directing the Justice Department to file the lawsuit in Alaska. It was filed on Thursday, less than two weeks before Election Day, and the article says it sowed doubt about the race’s integrity. Murkowski, a moderate Republican who voted to convict Trump over a January 6-related impeachment charge, said the Justice Department “should never have filed this lawsuit.” Trump was acquitted by a 57-43 vote, short of the two-thirds required for conviction.
Trump attacks Murkowski
In a late-night Truth Social post on Saturday, Trump called Murkowski “Republicans’ Worst Senator” and a “DISGRACE to Alaska and our Country.” He also criticized Alaska’s ranked-choice voting system. Trump claimed the ballot system could shift votes away from Senator Dan Sullivan to Daniel J. Sullivan, Jr., whom he described as a political newcomer. He accused Democrats of trying to steal the election and said Murkowski might want that outcome.
Key points
- Blanche denied that the Justice Department lawsuit was groundwork for Trump to overturn an election.
- Trump directed the Justice Department to sue over Alaska’s Senate race less than two weeks before Election Day.
- Murkowski criticized the lawsuit, while Trump attacked her in a Truth Social post.
- Trump’s lawsuit concerns Alaska’s ranked-choice voting system and Senator Dan Sullivan’s race.