Chris Christie agrees that it is time for President Trump to accept defeat in the 2020 Presidential election — absent proof of voter fraud. Christie, a long-time ally of Trump, publicized his stance on ABC’s “This Week” on Sunday, November 22. Christie is a regular contributor on ABC.
Christie’s life in government began in 1977 as a volunteer for Republican Tom Kean’s gubernatorial campaign. After a short run for Republican presidential nominee in 2015, the next year, Christie endorsed Trump. Trump hired Christie in May 2016 as the chairman of the transition team, but after Trump won the election, he demoted Christie.
Interestingly, Christie holds a record for prosecuting over 125 corrupt officials when he served as New Jersey’s U.S. attorney.
2020 President Election Results
Until Trump, the world had never seen an American President boldly insult citizens, bi-partisan members, and other world leaders. However, his bizarre behavior as President should not come as a shock since he ran his campaign in 2016, making fun, or name-calling, anyone that opposed him.
It has been two weeks since President-Elect Biden was elected as the 46th President of the United States. Trump has yet to concede and allow the traditional peaceful transfer of power to begin. Again, his behavior should not be surprising as he said he does not like losing. He also joked about leaving the country if Biden won, so there should be no surprise if he makes true on that claim.
President-Elect Biden ran his campaign on unifying a clearly divided America. Biden obtained 306 electoral college votes and Trump 232. However, with just under 74 million citizens voting for Trump and less than 80 million in favor of Biden — America has truly become the divided states of America.
Apparently, Trump is using this division, which he arguably magnified, to challenge the election results. It has been an exhausting and unprecedented four years of the Trumpian Era.
Is There Voter Fraud or Not?
Trump’s lawyers immediately filed lawsuits in multiple states, alleging voter fraud, following Biden’s win. Most of those suits have been dropped or dismissed.
Inside the courtroom, Trump’s team does not argue fraud, but from televised podiums, they tell the American citizens fraud is why Biden won the election. Why are there different arguments for different audiences?
According to Christie, there are legal ramifications for giving false information inside a courtroom. He concluded that evidence of fraud must not exist if Trump’s legal team has not yet provided any.
Christie described the behavior of Trump’s legal team as “a national embarrassment.” He also shed light on Trump’s attorney, Sidney Powell, for unfounded fraud accusations against Gov. Kemp.
Biden’s two-tenths victory over Trump will be recounted again in Georgia at Trump’s campaign request on Saturday, Nov. 21. The results of another recount are not expected to yield a different outcome.
Other Republicans Join Christie in Breaking Rank
Christie is not the only Trump supporter that agrees it is time for Trump to concede. Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan (R) said he is embarrassed that Republicans are quiet about Trump’s antics. Hogan told CNN’s Jake Tapper that America resembles a “banana republic,” referring to how the Trump Administration is handling the election results.
In true Trump fashion, he fired back at Hogan, calling him a “RINO,” which is short for Republican in name only.
One thing remains consistent about Trump; he will bulldoze — anyone — who opposes him.
Michigan Representatives Fred Upton and Paul Mitchell, Maine Senator Susan Collins, and Senator Lisa Murkowski of Alaska have made it publicly known that the traditional transfer of power should occur.
It remains to be seen if Christie and other Republicans who openly oppose Trump will receive a sharp tongue lashing.
State Certification Deadlines
Trump has attempted to pressure the officials in Michigan from certifying Biden’s victory. Biden won by 12,670 votes in Michigan. Republican Governor Brian Kemp is slated to sign the certification by the state’s deadline of Monday, Nov. 23.
Georgia, Pennsylvania, and Nevada are expected to certify votes in the coming days as well.
God Bless America
Trump’s inability to accept the election results, absent any evidence of voter fraud, is not only a slap in the face to Biden — it undermines the democracy the Constitution is founded upon. His inability to accept defeat compromises all Americans. The coronavirus is the newest threat to Americans, but there were preexisting issues before COVID-19 that did not magically disappear due to the virus.
Biden and his administration must be given clearance to obtain classified information so they may adequately and confidently run the country on day one.
As former President Obama stated in a recent interview, the president’s office is a temporary position.
The American people voted Trump in, and the world accepted it. Now, the American people have voted Trump out — he needs to accept that fact.
Christie honorably relayed he loves the Republican party, but:
It’s the country that has to come first.
Opinion News by Sheree Bynum
Edited by Cathy Milne-Ware
Sources:
Fox News: Chris Christie rips Trump’s legal team as ‘national embarrassment’; by Radford Betz
CNN: Chris Christie calls Trump’s legal team a ‘national embarrassment’; by Kevin Liptak and Devan Cole
The New York Times: Biden Wins Presidency, Ending Four Tumultuous Years Under Trump; by Jonathan Martin and Alexander Burns
CNN: by Chris Christie Fast Facts
USA Today: Trump jokes he might leave country if he loses to Joe Biden in Nov. 3 election; by Michael Collins
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First Inset Image Courtesy of Saeima’s Flickr Page – Creative Commons License
Second Inset Image Courtesy of Maryland GovPics’ Flickr Page – Creative Commons License