Donald Trump's claim of cheating in Philadelphia on Election Day has no "factual basis," officials say
Former President Donald Trump's claim that "massive CHEATING" is happening in Philadelphia on Election Day is false, officials said.
Trump made the claim on Truth Social just after 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday. He didn't provide any evidence for his claim.
Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner said in a statement that there's no "factual basis" to Trump's claim.
"The only talk about massive cheating has come from one of the candidates, Donald J. Trump," Krasner said in a statement. "There is no factual basis whatsoever within law enforcement to support this wild allegation. We have invited complaints and allegations of improprieties all day. If Donald J. Trump has any facts to support his wild allegations, we want them now. Right now. We are not holding our breath."
City Commissioner Seth Bluestein echoed the remarks made by Krasner on X, formerly known as Twitter, saying the claim has "absolutely no truth."
"We have been in regular contact with the RNC," Bluestein, a Republican, wrote on X. "We have been responsive to every report of irregularities at the polls to ensure Philadelphians can vote safely and securely."
The Philadelphia Police Department said they weren't "aware of anything" Trump referred to in his post.
We have been in regular contact with the RNC. We have been responsive to every report of irregularities at the polls to ensure Philadelphians can vote safely and securely.
— Seth Bluestein (@SethBluestein) November 5, 2024
Hours after Trump's claim, Bluestein and other Philadelphia City Commissioners addressed it at the Philadelphia Election Warehouse in Northeast Philly.
"Philadelphia elections are safe, simple and secure and they've always been," City Commissioner Omar Sabir said. "There is no cheating. There's no smoke to it. People say things but it doesn't necessarily mean that it's true. We learned this in 2020. We have hard-working people trying to give the citizens of America the election they deserve."
Trump's claim Tuesday night isn't the first time he's alleged cheating in Philadelphia during a presidential election.
In 2020, Trump claimed there was voter fraud in Philadelphia, which wasn't true.
Al Schmidt, the Secretary of the Commonwealth, said the 2020 election was the "most transparent and secure election in the history of Philadelphia." Trump attempted to challenge the 2020 election results in Pennsylvania numerous times after he lost the state President Biden, but the courts found Trump's claims were baseless.
Schmidt, a Republican Philadelphia City Commissioner in 2022, spoke to 60 Minutes in October about reassuring confidence for Pennsylvanians in the general election.
Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker also posted on Instagram on Tuesday night that the city's elections are safe, secure and fair.
"If you're in line by 8 p.m., stay in line! You can still cast your vote," Parker wrote.