US election: Donald Trump recorded begging Georgia official to overturn Biden victory

During a phone call with Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, United States President Donald Trump stated that he “just” needs “to find 11,780 votes” in his favour in the presidential election in the state, allowing him to overtake Democratic nominee Joe Biden and win the state, Washington Post reported on Sunday, quoting an alleged audio recording of the conversation it obtained.

Trump frequently revealed disbelief that he could have lost in Georgia, again alleging that the Democrats committed election fraud, a notion Raffensperger dismissed several times during the call, according

Trump verified in a tweet Sunday that he had talked with Georgia’s secretary of state, Republican Brad Raffensperger, a day earlier.

Audio fragments of the conversation were posted online by The Washington Post. A recording of the call was later acquired by The Associated Press from a person who was on the call.

The president, who has rejected to accept his loss to the Democratic president-elect, is overheard saying to Raffensperger at one point: “All I want to do is this. I just want to find 11,780 votes, which is one more than we have. Because we won the state.”

Georgia approved election results confirming that Biden won the state’s Nov. 3 election by 11,779 votes.

On the other hand, Trump has frequently criticised how Raffensperger ran Georgia’s elections, alleging without proof that the state’s 16 electoral votes were unfairly given to Biden.

“He has no clue!” Trump tweeted of Raffensperger, maintaining the state official “was unwilling, or unable” to reply to questions concerning a set of claims about ballot handling and voters that have been debunked or shot down by judges and election authorities.

Raffensperger’s Twitter response: “Respectfully, President Trump: What you’re saying is not true. The truth will come out.”