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Friday 25 September 2020

Continued from Front That's how a "dictator" op-
During a Wednesday news erates, she said. "That's not
conference, Trump said, how a democracy works."
"We're going to have to see By Thursday, the White
what happens," respond- House sought to clarify
ing to a question about Trump's words
committing to the results. "The president will accept
"You know that I've been the results of a free and fair
complaining very strongly election," said Press Secre-
about the ballots, and the tary Kayleigh McEnany.
ballots are a disaster." But the press secretary also
Reaction to his comment said anew that Trump wants
was strong from Capitol Hill to "get rid of mass, mail-out
— from both parties. voting." And Trump himself
Lindsey Graham, a Trump said he was not sure there
ally and the GOP chair of could be an "honest" elec-
the Senate Judiciary Com- tion as he left the White
mittee, told "Fox & Friends" House on a campaign trip
on Thursday, "If Republicans to North Carolina.
lose we will accept the re- The president, who uses
sult. If the Supreme Court mail-in voting himself, has
rules in favor of Joe Biden, I Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., arrives to meet with reporters following a Repub- tried to distinguish between
will accept that result." lican strategy session, at the Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, Sept. 22, 2020. states that automatically
Rep. Liz Cheney of Wyo- Associated Press send mail ballots to all reg-
ming, a member of the istered voters and those,
House GOP leadership, the most irrational things. ing the Constitution and after Nov. 3rd." like Florida, that send them
tweeted: "The peaceful I don't know what to say peaceful transition. Meanwhile, Republicans only to voters who request
transfer of power is en- about it. But it doesn't sur- Gen. Mark Milley, chairman are rushing to fill the vacan- them. Five states that rou-
shrined in our Constitution prise me." of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, cy on the Supreme Court tinely send mail ballots to
and fundamental to the On Capitol Hill, Trump's pos- responded in a letter to the created by Ruth Bader all voters have seen no sig-
survival of our Republic. sible refusal to accept the lawmakers last month that Ginsburg's death, partly nificant fraud.
America's leaders swear election results has been he sees "no role" for the mili- to ensure a Trump-friendly Of the nine states with uni-
an oath to the Constitution. discussed privately for tary to intervene in a dis- court majority to resolve versal ballots this year, only
We will uphold that oath." weeks as lawmakers con- puted election. any post-election lawsuits Nevada is a battleground,
Longtime Republican Sen. sider options. One senator But Defense Secretary by their party or Trump him- worth six electoral votes
Richard Shelby of Ala- said recently it was the big- Mark Esper declined to re- self. and likely to be pivotal only
bama, chairman of the gest topic of private discus- spond to the lawmakers' Texas Sen. Ted Cruz is in a total national presiden-
Appropriations Committee, sions. questions. Similar queries among leading Republi- tial deadlock.
said, "Well, we've always "We have a lot of lawyers at have been sent to Attorney cans pushing the impor- Before the 2016 election,
had a peaceful transfer of work," Pelosi said. General William Barr and tance of the court's role. much as now, Trump re-
power. That's one of the Two House Democrats, Homeland Security Secre- And Graham suggested on fused to commit to ac-
hallmarks. And I think this Reps. Mikie Sherill of New tary Chad Wolf. They have Fox that the Supreme Court cepting the results during
year will be no exception." Jersey and Slotkin of Michi- yet to respond. could end up all but de- the summer.
Biden, the Democratic gan — both members of Slotkin said Thursday it is claring the winner. "I have to see," Trump said
presidential nominee, was the Armed Services Com- important to get senior mili- Democrats object strongly. two months ago on "Fox
incredulous, "What coun- mittee — are formally ask- tary and DHS officials clear- "He wants to be named News Sunday." "No, I'm not
try are we in?" he said late ing members of Trump's ly "on the record." It is those president for life?" Sen. going to just say yes. I'm not
Wednesday of Trump's Cabinet to go on record officials, she said, "that will Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., going to say no, and I didn't
comment. "Look, he says and commit to uphold- determine what happens exclaimed at the Capitol. last time either."q

U.S. Health Department's Caputo has cancer, spokesperson says

ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — Michael Caputo, installed as assistant secretary for public
who is on a 60-day leave from his role as affairs by the White House in April at a time
spokesperson for the U.S. Department of of tense relations with Health Secretary
Health and Human Services after accus- Alex Azar.
ing government scientists of sedition, has Caputo, who was born in Buffalo and has
metastatic cancer, a state lawmaker said no health care background, has faced
Thursday. scrutiny in recent weeks over news reports
Doctors have diagnosed cancer in the that he tried to gain editorial control over
head and neck, David DiPietro, a Repub- a scientific weekly published by the Cen-
lican state assemblyman in western New ters for Disease Control and Prevention.
York who said he was acting as a spokes- Caputo also hosted a video on his Face-
person for Caputo, told reporters. The Buf- book page in which he likened govern-
falo News first reported the diagnosis. ment scientists to a "resistance" against
The squamous cell carcinoma originated Trump and warned that shooting would
in Caputo's throat, DiPietro said. Caputo break out if Trump won reelection in No-
is now home in western New York with his vember and Democratic rival Joe Biden
In this May 1, 2018, file photo, Former Donald Trump campaign family, the lawmaker said. refused to concede.q
official Michael Caputo, left, joined by his attorney Dennis C. The Department of Health and Human Ser-
Vacco, leaves after being interviewed by Senate Intelligence vices had announced Sept. 16 that Capu-
Committee staff investigating Russian meddling in the 2016 pres-
idential election, on Capitol Hill in Washington. to decided to take 60 days "to focus on
Associated Press his health and the well-being of his family."
The loyalist of President Donald Trump was