President Donald Trump claimed credit for Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell’s reelection and criticized him in an email sent to Republican members of Congress on Monday evening, according to multiple reports.
Trump argued that McConnell was “the first one off the ship” after the Senate leader officially congratulated President-elect Joe Biden on his election win earlier in December, according to Axios. NBC News and Business Insider confirmed the statement. White House staff reportedly sent a graphic to Capitol Hill highlighting polling data in McConnell’s race and claiming Trump’s actions made McConnell rise in the polls.
Axios: “Trump got his personal assistant to email GOP lawmakers a PowerPoint slide (below) attacking McConnell for being ‘the first one off the ship,’ and absurdly claiming credit for the senator’s re-election.” pic.twitter.com/Gg8lkwChBx
— John Kruzel (@johnkruzel) December 22, 2020
McConnell won his race by nearly 20 points, despite his opponent, Democrat Amy McGrath, spending more than $93 million in her attempt to unseat the Republican.
Trump has denied the result of the election for weeks, insisting Democrats “rigged” the election, but providing little-to-no evidence.
THE DEMOCRATS DUMPED HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF BALLOTS IN THE SWING STATES LATE IN THE EVENING. IT WAS A RIGGED ELECTION!!!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 22, 2020
Now-former Attorney General Bill Barr stated before his resignation that both the Department of Justice and Department of Homeland Security had looked into accusations of fraud in Dominion voting systems and elsewhere, but had not found evidence of fraud that might have changed the result of the election.
“To date, we have not seen fraud on a scale that could have affected a different outcome in the election,” Barr told the Associated Press on Dec. 1. (RELATED: REPORT: Rudy Giuliani Has Discussed Receiving Preemptive Pardon With Trump)
Trump announced Barr’s resignation two weeks later on Dec. 14, saying Barr will step down “just before Christmas.” Trump remains complimentary of Barr’s time as AG, for the most part.
“Just had a very nice meeting with Attorney General Bill Barr at the White House. Our relationship has been a very good one, he has done an outstanding job,” Trump tweeted at the time. “As per letter, Bill will be leaving just before Christmas to spend the holidays with his family.”