Recently-hired contributor at NBC News Ronna McDaniel — the previous leader of the Republican National Committee — showed up on Meet the Press Sunday to debut her new position, but the interview quickly turned confrontational as McDaniel stuck mainly to the Republican party stance and insisted that “there were issues” with the 2020 election.
Midway through the intense 20-minute discussion, NBC’s Kristen Welker asked McDaniel about a 2020 conversation she had with former President Donald Trump where both of them seemed to pressure two election officials in Wayne County, MI not to certify the 2020 vote. A recording of the phone call, from late 2023, was reviewed by the Detroit News, in which McDaniel assured to provide legal representation for the two election officials if they refused to certify the vote. “If you can go home tonight, do not sign it. … We will get you attorneys,” McDaniel said on the call. “Do you have regrets about that phone call?” Welker asked Sunday.
McDaniel stood by her actions on the call:
Ronna McDaniel — the former head of the RNC— appeared on Meet the Press Sunday to launch her new role.
McDaniel stood by her actions on the call:
“These two individuals went into a hearing. They voted no. They didn’t vote not to certify. They said, ‘we want an audit.’ There were some problems in Wayne County. They’ve been consistent. They’ve been well documented over subsequent elections. And they said as canvassers, ‘we think we should have an audit before we certify.’ That’s all they asked for.
“Once the public hearing opened, they were called. Such vicious names, such vile names, Family members are being threatened, that they changed their vote and they left shaken. And I did call them and say — And I think we should agree … Republicans and Democrats — nobody should be threatened or bullied or pushed to change a vote. And that’s what happened to them. And I want to finish by saying our call that night was to say, ‘Are you okay?’ That’s my recollection. It was three and a half years ago. These are people I knew. I live in Wayne County. Are you okay? Are you all right? Vote your conscience. Not pushing them to do anything.”Joe Biden won,” McDaniel said. “He’s the president. He’s the legitimate president. I have always said, and I continue to say, there were issues in 2020. I believe that both can be true.”
Welker played a clip of McDaniel telling CNN’s Chris Wallace, in July 2023, that she doesn’t believe Biden won “fair” in 2023.
“Can you say as you sit here today, did Joe Biden win the election fair and square?” Welker asked.
“He won, he’s the legitimate president,” McDaniel countered.
“Did he win fair and square?” Welker asked.
Finally, McDaniel conceded that Biden won “fair and square.” But, she added, “I do think it’s fair to say there were problems in 2020.”
Watch above, via NBC.
