No one expected the Trump transition team to react positively to Jill Stein’s call for donations to fund a recount in key swing states. Trump refrained from comment for days, but perhaps he was simply distracted by Fabio’s hair. Indeed, there’s a fantastic, possibly untrue, story that claims Trump asked his Thanksgiving dinner guests (including the male model) who should be secretary of state. Well, Trump finally let loose by branding Stein’s fundraising efforts as “ridiculous” and a “scam.” In an interview with Bloomberg, Trump senior advisor Kellyanne Conway certainly didn’t hold back when considering Stein’s efforts as joined by the Clinton campaign:
“What a pack of sore losers. After asking Mr. Trump and his team a million times on the trail, ‘Will HE accept the election results?’ it turns out Team Hillary and their new BFF Jill Stein can’t accept reality.
“Rather than adhere to the tradition of graciously conceding and wishing the winner well, they’ve opted to waste millions of dollars and dismiss the democratic process. The people have spoken. Time to listen up. #YesYourPresident.”
Trump famously refused to pledge to accept the election outcome — “I’ll keep you in suspense” — during a presidential debate, and that’s probably exactly what would have happened. He admitted as much, but Conway ended up on the winning side, so she’s calling the Clinton campaign out as hypocrites. Yet this sort of concern didn’t deter disappointed voters from donating nearly $6 million to the cause, which is far more than the $3,509,477 donor take from Stein’s own Green Party presidential campaign. This is certainly the most attention that Stein has ever received, and questions remain on how she’ll use the excess funding after recounts are secured.
Nevertheless, Stein did drum up interest in a recount, quickly met her original fundraising goal, and filed paperwork in Wisconsin, which agreed to undertake the task. Michigan and Pennsylvania may soon follow. The Clinton campaign didn’t initiate the effort but will join the process in states where paperwork is filed. Like it or not, Conway and Team Trump will have to ride this one out until the bitter end.
(Via Bloomberg & Washington Post)