President Donald Trump’s personal lawyer has confirmed proceedings have begun to sue over alleged “fraudulent ballots”, claiming people will be “shocked” by the findings.

Rudy Giuliani tweeted that the Trump campaign has “sued to invalidate hundreds of thousands of fraudulent ballots in the Western District of Michigan”.

“First PA (Pennsylvania), the Michigan will go to Trump,” he tweeted.

“Affidavits will be published tomorrow. You will be shocked.”

The update comes as Mr Trump implied he would continue contesting election results for at least another week, forestalling for days the required steps to transition government to President-elect Joe Biden and signalling to his administration that any moves toward a hand-off are on hold.

Mr Trump’s refusal to concede has prompted senior officials across the government to spread word that any cooperation with Mr Biden’s team is forbidden, officials at agencies and the White House said.

Former New York mayor Rudy Giuliani, a lawyer for President Donald Trump, pauses as he speaks during a news conference on legal challenges to vote counting in Pennsylvania. (AP Photo/John Minchillo)

The nation’s top diplomat, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, refused to accept Mr Biden’s victory as President-elect during remarks at the State Department.

Instead, he said there would be “a smooth transition to a second Trump administration.”

The White House, while offering little formal or explicit guidance, has nonetheless made known throughout the federal government that no steps should be taken that would imply Mr Trump lost the election, according to people familiar with the matter.

“The world should have every confidence that the transition necessary to make sure that the State Department is functional today, successful today and successful with a president who’s in office on January 20 a minute after noon will also be successful,” Mr Pompeo said at a briefing.

President Donald Trump speaks at the White House in the days after the 2020 US Election.
President Donald Trump has signalled he is not ready to hand over power to Joe Biden or start any transition. (AP)

The reluctance to begin the formal transition process has prompted increasing concern among Mr Biden’s team, who are mulling legal steps to force the process that would allow them access to federal money and information.

At issue is the official step of “ascertainment,” a formal determination by the General Services Administration that Mr Biden won the election. That would unfreeze more than $6 million (A$8 million) in funding and allow agencies across the federal government – including those responsible for providing highly classified briefings – to begin working with Mr Biden’s teams.

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said there would be “a smooth transition to a second Trump administration” (AP)

Senior officials at federal agencies have determined their transition plans cannot proceed until that step is taken, according to people familiar with the matter. That means the thick briefing binders prepared by officials before the election are sitting unopened and office space reserved for Mr Biden’s incoming team is dark and vacant while Mr Trump continues to insist his loss isn’t real.

“WE ARE MAKING BIG PROGRESS. RESULTS START TO COME IN NEXT WEEK. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!” Trump tweeted on Tuesday.

Mr Trump has made no mention of the steps underway by Mr Biden’s team to launch a transition even as he contests the election results and had been only vaguely aware of the work his administration was doing in preparing for a transition over the past several months, though did have to formally sign off, officials said.

Landscapers work on replacing the lawn of the White House. Donald Trump’s staff have yet to start working on a transition plan. (AP)

While he did not put up any roadblocks in the planning stages, he was not involved and provided little or no direction.

But privately Mr Trump has taken notice of Mr Biden’s enhanced schedule of presidential-style briefings and speeches, which contrast sharply with his own mostly vacant daily agendas.

Supporters of US President-elect Joe Biden and his running mate Vice President-elect Kamala Harris pose for selfies near the security fence on the north side of the White House

Large crowds gather outside White House

Mr Trump made a last-minute appearance in briefing room last Thursday but has otherwise not held an official event in a week.

Source: 9News

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

You May Also Like

Sunny Hostin Invokes The View After Son Is Cited for Trespassing

Sunny Hostin reportedly invoked her role on The View and asked police…

How Queen Elizabeth II’s Death United Parliament in Anguish, Affection and Humour

Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood spent an hour fielding questions in the Commons…

U.S. Strike Destroys Iranian Naval Base Using Explosive Drone Boats

US forces have released footage showing an Iranian naval facility being hit…

France vs Spain LIVE: World Cup Semi-Final Score, Goals and Latest Match Updates

Lamine Yamal may be in line for a belated birthday present today.…

Judge Issues Key Ruling Before Massachusetts Mother’s Murder Trial

The husband of a Massachusetts woman accused of killing the couple’s three…

Erling Haaland Spends $10K on Texas Souvenirs After World Cup Adventure

Erling Haaland spent $10,000 on cowboy apparel and Texas-themed souvenirs during his…

Man accused of shooting mother and stepfather returns to court

An attorney for a Georgia teenager accused of killing her mother and…

Farmer Who Fatally Shot Teenage Burglar Will Not Face Charges

A farmer who fatally shot a teenager accused of breaking into his…

Trump Lashes Out Over Spencer Pratt’s Loss in Los Angeles Mayoral Race

President Trump again cast doubt on Spencer Pratt’s Los Angeles mayoral election…

Ohio Mother of 16 Seeks Reunion With Children After House of Horrors Case

The presumed mother of 16 children removed from what authorities described as…

Karl Stefanovic Takes Aim at Albanese and Critics in Fiery On-Air Spray

Karl Stefanovic has taken aim at Anthony Albanese, branding him among the…

Suspect in NY Mom Jamey Carney’s Murder Arrested in Jordan After Fleeing Ireland

A migrant who left Ireland following the savage killing of an American…