Trump raises claim of ‘massive cheating’ in Philadelphia
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The Republican candidate has provided no evidence to support his claim.
PHOTO: REUTERS
WASHINGTON - Donald Trump sought to undermine on Nov 5 the credibility of voting in the biggest city of must-win Pennsylvania, a soundly Democratic area that was part of the former president’s unsupported 2020 fraud claims.
Amid reports of exceptionally high voter turnout in Philadelphia, Trump said there was “a lot of talk about massive cheating” in the city, as an official promptly denied the claim, calling it “yet another example of disinformation”.
“Law enforcement coming!!” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform.
He provided no evidence to support his claim, made as Americans voted in a tense election
“There is absolutely no truth to this allegation,” said city commissioner Seth Bluestein, a Republican.
“Voting in Philadelphia has been safe and secure.”
Philadelphia police did not immediately reply to a request for comment on Trump’s claim.
Trump rejected his loss in the 2020 election to Mr Joe Biden, a denial that culminated in supporters of the former reality TV star violently attacking the US Capitol
Trump is expected to reject the result if he loses again in 2024, raising a spectre of chaos and violence
The Republican has already started raising questions about the integrity of the vote in Pennsylvania, a battleground state that is a key prize in the battle for the White House.
Pennsylvania’s Democratic governor Josh Shapiro, in a CNN interview last week, rejected Trump’s allegations, noting that as the state’s attorney-general, Mr Shapiro defeated 43 challenges to the 2020 vote count from the former president and his allies.
When asked on Nov 5 whether he would accept defeat in the 2024 election, Trump offered a qualified response.
“If I lose an election, if it’s a fair election, I would be the first one to acknowledge it. So far I think it’s been fair,” he said. AFP
