Elections

Priebus Derides Clinton Role In ‘Fraud’ Wisconsin Recount

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David Krayden Ottawa Bureau Chief
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Reince Priebus on Sunday called out the Hillary Clinton campaign’s participation in the upcoming Wisconsin ballot recount as “a total and complete distraction and a fraud.”

The chief of staff to President-elect Donald Trump said Sunday in an interview with Fox News’s Chris Wallace:  “It is a total and complete hypocritical joke that the group of people that thought that they were nervous about President-elect Trump not conceding are the people that are conducting recounts in states where we won by over 68,000 votes.”

Priebus, who as Republican National Committee chairman was instrumental in blocking efforts by some establishment politicians to stop Trump’s presidential candidacy, called the recount not an exercise in democracy but one in wasting “time and money.” He said the effort will only serve to further divide the country “when we need to come together.”

“And look forward to the future of rebuilding this country and getting us back on track. That’s what President Trump is going to do, that’s what we want to do and this is a total and complete distraction and a fraud.”

Priebus predicted that the recount will enable Trump to “win again for a second time” while Clinton can be assured of being defeated again. (RELATED: Clinton Campaign To Participate In Recount Effort)

The Wisconsin recount was initiated by Green Party candidate Jill Stein, who has raised $5 million towards that goal. Critics are calling her a pawn of the Clinton campaign and have wondered how Stein has managed to achieve such astounding fundraising – given her past record – without the help of big-time Clinton backers like George Soros.

She also wants recounts in Pennsylvania and Michigan.

The Clinton campaign has embraced the recount, claiming a commitment to ensure “an accurate vote count will be reported.”

But Priebus was unmoved, noting that Stein only won 33,000 in Wisconsin.

“It is ridiculous…It’s a waste of everybody’s time,” he said.

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