President Trump Calls For Voter Fraud Investigation

President Trump has done some pretty awesomesauce things this week. He’s signed a bunch of key executive orders– withdrawing the U.S. from TPP, imposing a federal government employee hiring freeze (except for the military), reinstating the Mexico City abortion rules and advancing the construction of the Keystone XL and Dakota Access pipelines. He’s met with union leader heads and business leaders. So many good things are happening, but for the love of all that’s good and holy, can he please stop distracting the media with these non-issues?

Context is helpful, I know.

The other day, Trump suggested that he would’ve won the popular vote if 3 million to 5 million people hadn’t voted illegally in November.

“It was a comment he made on a longstanding belief,” White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer said. “…He believes what he believes based on the information he’s been provided.”

However, House Speaker Paul Ryan said there’s “no evidence” of Trump’s claim.

Trump took it a step further Wednesday morning:

I will be asking for a major investigation into VOTER FRAUD, including those registered to vote in two states, those who are illegal and….

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 25, 2017

even, those registered to vote who are dead (and many for a long time). Depending on results, we will strengthen up voting procedures!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 25, 2017

It’s slightly disheartening, because this is going to completely overshadow all of the good things he’s doing right now. It basically gives his adversaries a reason to ignore the important things he’s doing.

He won. Popular vote or not, he won. (Hillary’s popular vote lead can be traced back to California, but that’s neither here nor there.) This shouldn’t be an issue right now. Let’s not get into Jill Stein territory. Focus, Mr. President. Focus.