A recently released recording of a phone call between former President Donald Trump and two Republican canvassers in Michigan has been described as “perfect evidence” of his attempt to interfere with the 2020 election results, according to a report by Newsweek on December 22, 2023. The recording captures Trump and Republican National Committee chair Ronna McDaniels pressuring Wayne County canvassers Monica Palmer and William Hartmann not to certify the election results in favor of President Joe Biden. The call, which took place on November 17, 2020, coincided with the canvassers’ initial refusal to sign off on the county’s official statement of votes.
In the recording, Trump praises Palmer and Hartmann for their resistance to certification, warning them of potential negative consequences if they change their minds. He reiterates baseless claims of widespread voter fraud and irregularities in the election, urging the canvassers to “fight for our country.” McDaniels echoes Trump’s sentiments and promises legal assistance to the canvassers.
The recording, obtained through a Freedom of Information Act request, has been highlighted in the criminal case against Trump in Fulton County, Georgia. Joe Gallina, an attorney affiliated with Call to Activism, a pro-Democratic campaign group involved in the case, describes the recording as “another smoking gun” demonstrating Trump’s efforts to overturn the election. Trump is facing charges in Fulton County related to a separate phone call made to Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger on January 2, 2021, in which he asked to “find” enough votes to overturn Biden’s victory in the state. Trump has pleaded not guilty to all charges, maintaining his baseless claims of election rigging despite numerous legal challenges and losses.
