Trump Vows Investigation Into Voter Fraud
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WASHINGTON (CBSMiami) - Following through on baseless claims he's made since the November election, President Donald Trump has vowed to launch a full investigation into alleged voter fraud.
He made his intentions known on Twitter early Wednesday morning.
I will be asking for a major investigation into VOTER FRAUD, including those registered to vote in two states, those who are illegal and....
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 25, 2017
even, those registered to vote who are dead (and many for a long time). Depending on results, we will strengthen up voting procedures!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 25, 2017
The White House has so far backed Trump's unsupported claim that up to five million people voted illegally in November, and that's why he lost the popular vote to Hillary Clinton by about 2.9 million, according to CBS News.
Trump brought up voter fraud during a meeting with Congressional leaders Monday night.
"The comment that he made was, he said three to five million people you know, could have voted illegally, based on the studies that he's seen," said White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer defending Trump's statement. "I think the President has believed that for a while. He believes what he believes based on the information he's provided."
As for evidence backing Trump's claim, the White House hasn't shared it.
On Capitol Hill, even Republicans seem mystified by Trump's claim.
"He needs to disclose why he believes that, I don't believe that. It is the most inappropriate thing for the President to say without proof," said Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC).
Democrats have called the claims an attack on the U.S. election system.
"The President ought to realize he's President," said Sen. Chuck Schumer. "When these falsehoods are told, our Republican colleagues have an obligation to reject them, not to skirt around them."
Rep. Debbie-Wasserman Schultz issued a harsh condemnation of Trump's call for an investigation during an interview with CNN.
"He seems to be questioning the legitimacy of his own election, all while, for the last couple of months, touting how legitimate and huge his election was and historic it is. It can't be both," she said.
Wasserman Schultz added that what was most disturbing to her was Trump's penchant for lying.
"If he is willing to lie about the trivial, like crowd size, or the significant, like voter fraud, then what happens if -- God forbid -- we go to war and we have our troops lives on the line and there are causalities? Is he going to send Sean Spicer out to lie about the causalities that have taken place? Are our allies going to be able to trust us?"
CBS4 reached out to Meredith Beatrice, the director of communications or the Florida Department of State, to ask her about the dual voter registration comment Trump made.
She said there's "no provision in state law that specifically addresses voter registration in more than one state."
She was also asked if residents needed to "unregister" to vote when moving.
"There is no provision in state law requiring individuals to notify," Beatrice responded.
Registered voters are asked to notify their county's supervisor of elections as soon as they move.
Beatrice added, "Voter registration does not automatically transfer state lines."
When it comes to purging voter rolls to remove those who've moved, died or have become ineligible to vote, she says the state follows the law and is "consistent with the federal National Voter Registration Act (NVRA)."
The accusation of voter fraud is a change of tune for Trump. Last year in a court filing objecting to Green Party candidate Jill Stein's Michigan recount petition, Trump's lawyers wrote, "All available evidence suggests that the 2016 general election was not tainted by fraud or mistake."
