The Republican leaders of the Michigan State Senate and House said they have seen no evidence to overturn Preisdent-elect Joe Biden’s win and to declare President Donald Trump the winner of their state after meeting with the president at the White House on Friday.
Trump invited both Michigan Senate Majority Leader Mike Shirkey and Michigan House Speaker Lee Chatfield to the White House earlier this week, with many suspecting he would ask them to use the Republican-held legislature to secure him the state’s electoral votes. Biden won the state by more than 150,000 votes, according to the Associated Press.
The pair released identical statements later Friday evening, saying they requested further COVID-19 funding for their state. While the pair acknowledged Trump’s claims of voter fraud and said authorities should act upon any evidence, they indicated the scant evidence the Trump campaign has so far put forward was insufficient. (RELATED: Kayleigh McEnany Says Trump Won’t Concede Until Legal Challenges Are Over)
“We have not yet been made aware of any information that would change the outcome of the election in Michigan, and as legislative leaders, we will follow the law and follow the normal process regarding Michigan’s electors, just as we have said throughout this election,” they said in a statement.
My statement on our meeting with the President today: pic.twitter.com/npKXVFI60x
— Sen. Mike Shirkey (@SenMikeShirkey) November 20, 2020
I was glad to have met with President Trump this evening. Here is my statement on the meeting: pic.twitter.com/LGKfDptfrE
— Lee Chatfield (@LeeChatfield) November 20, 2020
The Trump campaign filed a lawsuit in Pennsylvania this week outright asking the Pennsylvania legislature to declare Trump the winner, despite Biden taking the state by 80,000 votes.
The fresh lawsuit came two days after the Pennsylvania Supreme Court ruled against the campaign’s original lawsuit regarding GOP poll watchers. The campaign is maintaining its claim of standing. (RELATED: Trump Campaign Says It Has Uncovered Enough ‘Fraud’ To Overturn Election Result)
The campaign argues that the legislature deciding the result of the election is the proper outcome. State legislatures do technically hold the authority to appoint their own electors. However, that process is always done in proportion to how the state’s residents voted.