sen. lindsey graham, r-s.c., speaks with reporters in the senate press gallery on capitol hill, in washington, tuesday, nov. 15. | ap photo by elana schor 11/29/16 12:54 pm est lindsey graham challenged donald trump on tuesday to back up his unsubstantiated claims of widespread voter fraud <u+2014> and the south carolina republican floated the idea of a bipartisan resolution affirming the validity of the election results. graham, one of donald trump<u+2019>s harshest republican critics, bluntly urged the president-elect to stop making baseless allegations that millions of votes were cast illegally. telling reporters that <u+201c>no one has suggested to me there<u+2019>s evidence of what he said,<u+201d> graham added: <u+201c>and if there is not evidence, please stop saying that.<u+201d> story continued below <u+201c>you are now the president-elect of the united states,<u+201d> graham reminded trump. <u+201c>if you really believe that millions of people voted illegally, you should have some proof. because your voice is not just an ordinary voice.<u+201d> graham said that he may seek a democratic co-sponsor for a symbolic measure that declares <u+201c>the 2016 elections were free and fair, and the results were the will of the american people <u+2014> that the system worked.<u+201d> few other gop senators have joined graham in openly criticizing trump<u+2019>s false voter fraud claims, although sen. james lankford of oklahoma on monday called the charge <u+201c>pretty far-fetched.<u+201d> senate majority whip john cornyn (r-texas) also shrugged off the voter fraud claim late monday, saying in a brief interview that "i'm involved in other stuff that's more demanding of my time." sen. john boozman (r-ark.) declined to comment tuesday and sen. dan coats (r-ind.) declined to comment monday on the president-elect<u+2019>s voter fraud claims. pressed by reporters about another trump tweet endorsing potential jail time or loss of citizenship for flag burning, sen. joni ernst (r-iowa) said only that <u+201c>i wouldn<u+2019>t go that far." john mccain, graham<u+2019>s close friend and fellow trump critic, appeared to speak for others in his party as he shrugged off reporters seeking his reaction to the president-elect<u+2019>s latest incendiary statement. <u+201c>i<u+2019>m not commenting on donald trump<u+2019>s daily comments,<u+201d> the arizona republican told reporters. <u+201c>i'm not going to do it.<u+201d> by joshua zeitz by thomas wright by jack shafer by melissa k. chan
graham challenges trump to prove claims of voter fraud - politico
elana schor jack shafer