Schumer Tells Trump to Stop ‘Bullying, Harassing & Lying’ About Recounts

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer has had enough of Donald Trump.

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On Tuesday he demanded that the president “stop bullying, harassing and lying” about the Florida recounts.

“Speaking in defense of Florida Sen. Nelson, who is fighting for his Senate seat, Minority Leader Schumer called for President Trump to “stop bullying, harassing and lying” about the Florida recount efforts.”

Schumer attended a press conference with current Florida Democratic Senator Bill Nelson, whose seat is at risk after Tuesday’s midterm elections. He is locked in a tense and tight battle with current Florida Republican Governor Rick Scott for Nelson’s seat. Before the recount Scott held a lead of just .12 percent of the over eight million votes cast. With such a close race a mandatory manual recount is required.

In addition to calling out Trump for his inappropriate and divisive (and undemocratic) remarks, Schumer joined Nelson in demanding that Scott to recuse himself. Most independent observers believe it is wrong that a sitting governor oversee an election that he is involved in. Democrats want Scott to remove himself from any oversight role with respect to the recount.

Schumer, Nelson and others have accused both Scott and Trump of engaging in “un-American” behavior with false charges of fraud and demands that results be finalized before all votes are counted. They’ve also pointed out that Scott “can’t possibly be trusted” to be neutral and fair in overseeing the process of tabulating all outstanding votes.

“President Trump and Governor Scott seem dead set against counting every vote,” Schumer said. “Why? They’re worried that if every vote is counted, Bill Nelson will be re-elected as senator from the great state of Florida.”

Schumer pointed to Democratic Senators-elect Jacky Rosen of Nevada and Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona and said that the 2018 election results keep looking better for Democrats. (Rosen and Sinema both “flipped” senate seats that had been held by Republicans.)

Schumer also pointed out that election officials should be afforded all the time they need to count the Florida votes. Elections rules provide for a Thursday deadline to complete the initial machine recount.

After that, the races may have to go to a hand recount of over 8 million votes, if the race is closer than .25 percent.

What is concerning Nelson supporters is that there is a Sunday deadline for completion of the hand recount, and that may not be possible.

Adding to the tension — and to the delays — several lawsuits have been filed by both campaigns.

The recount is overseen by Florida Secretary of State Ken Detzner, a Republican who was appointed to his position in 2012 by Scott.

Leo Vidal

I am a lifelong Democrat with a passion for social justice and progressive issues. I have degrees in writing, economics and law from the University of Iowa.