Rep. James Clyburn: Trump is 'trying to do everything' he can to prevent a 'fair, unfettered election'
Rep. James Clyburn (D-S.C.), the third-ranking House Democrat, told The Associated Press on Wednesday he believes President Trump is trying to sway the election by scaring people into thinking mail-in voting isn't safe.
"We've got bar codes that can identify every stick of chewing gum in a grocery store and you are telling me that we cannot have bar codes to identify every ballot that goes out and certify it as it comes in?" he said on Wednesday. "We can do this. That's what we've got to do. Put the money in this budget. And so that we can have a fair, unfettered election. This guy is trying to do everything he possibly can to prevent that from happening."
Clyburn also told AP he won't attend the Democratic National Convention in Milwaukee, and said that if Trump does deliver his Republican National Convention speech from the White House later this month, it wouldn't be appropriate. "Let him do it from the golf course," Clyburn suggested.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Regarding negotiations for a new coronavirus aid package, Clyburn said he thinks Democrats and Republicans will be able to soon come to an agreement, but it won't be easy as this is "a health care crisis wrapped into an economic crisis, and they are so interwoven. You can't solve the economic crisis without solving the health care crisis, and the problem we've got is that we do not have a national plan to deal with this virus. That's not the way you run a national government."
Things are "much, much worse" now than they were during the Great Recession, he added, and "our entire economy is at stake."
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Catherine Garcia has worked as a senior writer at The Week since 2014. Her writing and reporting have appeared in Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, Wirecutter, NBC News and "The Book of Jezebel," among others. She's a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.
-
The history of Donald Trump's election conspiracy theories
The Explainer How the 2024 Republican nominee has consistently stoked baseless fears of a stolen election
By David Faris Published
-
Two ancient cities have been discovered along the Silk Road
Under the radar The discovery changed what was known about the old trade route
By Devika Rao, The Week US Published
-
'People shouldn't have to share the road with impaired drivers'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
Moldova's pro-West president wins 2nd term
Speed Read Maia Sandu beat Alexandr Stoianoglo, despite suspicions of Russia meddling in the election
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
2024 race ends with swing state barnstorming
Speed Read Kamala Harris and Donald Trump held rallies in battlegrounds over the weekend
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
North Korea tests ICBM, readies troops in Ukraine
Speed Read Thousands of North Korean troops are likely to join Russian action against Ukraine
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Women take center stage in campaign finale
Speed Read Harris and Trump are trading gender attacks in the final days before the election
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
US election: who the billionaires are backing
The Explainer More have endorsed Kamala Harris than Donald Trump, but among the 'ultra-rich' the split is more even
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
Supreme Court allows purge of Virginia voter rolls
Speed Read Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R) is purging some 1,600 people from state voter rolls days before the election
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
'Empowered' Steve Bannon released from prison
Speed Read Bannon was set free a week before Election Day and quickly returned to his right-wing podcast to promote Trump
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Canada accuses top Modi ally of directing Sikh attacks
Speed Read Indian Home Minister Amit Shah was allegedly behind a campaign of violence and intimidation targeting Sikh separatists
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published