NEW YORK (Diya TV) — President-elect Donald Trump took to the same social media platform he used so often during the campaign Sunday to issue baseless claims of voter fraud during the general election to accusing his opponent, Hillary Clinton, of being hypocritical for her alleged involvement in the current election recount which is under way.
The billionaire real estate mogul, who himself declared during the campaign that he would not concede the election if he lost, said on Twitter that “nothing will change.” He added that Clinton has already conceded the election.
However, he also offered his own support for the recount, adding that he believes he would have undoubtedly won the popular vote “if you deduct the millions of people who voted illegally.” In another tweet, Trump alleged, without any evidence, that there were serious voter fraud cases in the states of Virginia, New Hampshire and California.
In addition to winning the Electoral College in a landslide, I won the popular vote if you deduct the millions of people who voted illegally
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 27, 2016
Serious voter fraud in Virginia, New Hampshire and California – so why isn't the media reporting on this? Serious bias – big problem!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 28, 2016
California Secretary of State Alex Padilla, a Democrat, insisted the state’s voting system operates without issue, calling Trump’s claims “absurd” and “reckless.”
“It appears that Mr. Trump is troubled by the fact that a growing majority of Americans did not vote for him,” Padilla said in a statement tweeted on his personal account. “His unsubstantiated claims of voter fraud in California and elsewhere are absurd. His reckless tweets are inappropriate and unbecoming of a President-elect.”
— Alex Padilla (@AlexPadilla4CA) November 28, 2016
Where Trump got his ideas about the election remain unknown, or why he waited until Green Party candidate Jill Stein’s recount request in Wisconsin to raise the issue. Donald Trump himself showed how difficult it is to vote illegally in a 2004 video in which he was turned away from three different polling locations.
It's hard to vote illegally. Trump himself was turned away from 3 polling places in 2004 b/c he wasn't on the rolls. https://t.co/tAW366jr7F
— Bradd Jaffy (@BraddJaffy) November 27, 2016
Trump continued tweeting on the matter Sunday, saying if he had instead targeted the popular vote and not the Electoral College, he would have only had to campaign in three or four states instead of the multitude of states he visited.
It would have been much easier for me to win the so-called popular vote than the Electoral College in that I would only campaign in 3 or 4–
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 27, 2016
states instead of the 15 states that I visited. I would have won even more easily and convincingly (but smaller states are forgotten)!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 27, 2016
In years past, Trump has spoken publicly against the Electoral College, calling the institution “a disaster for democracy” on Twitter in 2012. He also told Mitt Romney supporters via tweet in 2012 to “fight like hell” after Romney’s loss, as he incorrectly believed the Electoral College had allowed President Obama to win.
The electoral college is a disaster for a democracy.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 7, 2012
Lets fight like hell and stop this great and disgusting injustice! The world is laughing at us.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 7, 2012
Barack Obama won both the popular vote and the Electoral College by wide margins in 2008 and 2012.
Earlier in the day, Trump had directed his tweets against his former opponent, quoting three instances via six tweets in which Clinton slammed Trump for suggesting he would not accept the election results.
Hillary's debate answer on delay: "That is horrifying. That is not the way our democracy works. Been around for 240 years. We've had free —
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 27, 2016
and fair elections. We've accepted the outcomes when we may not have liked them, and that is what must be expected of anyone standing on a –
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 27, 2016
during a general election. I, for one, am appalled that somebody that is the nominee of one of our two major parties would take that kind —
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 27, 2016
of position." Then, separately she stated, "He said something truly horrifying … he refused to say that he would respect the results of —
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 27, 2016
this election. That is a direct threat to our democracy." She then said, "We have to accept the results and look to the future, Donald —
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 27, 2016
Trump is going to be our President. We owe him an open mind and the chance to lead." So much time and money will be spent – same result! Sad
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 27, 2016