Rodney Friday September 25, 2020 and Ayana T: 582-7800 say YES www.arubatoday.com facebook.com/arubatoday instagram.com/arubatoday Page 10 Aruba’s ONLY English newspaper POWER DRIVEN President Donald Trump speaks to members of the press on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, Thursday, Sept. 24, 2020, before boarding Marine One for a short trip to Andrews Air Force Base, Md. Trump is traveling to North Carolina and Florida. Associated Press Rejecting Trump, both parties' leaders see orderly election WASHINGTON (AP) — President tion Day in January. And some orderly transition just as there has It’s not the first time he has sowed Donald Trump's refusal to commit Democrats were taking action, been every four years since 1792." doubts about the voting proc- to a peaceful transfer of power if including formally asking Trump's Said Pelosi, "Calm down, Mr. Presi- ess. But his increased questioning he loses the election drew swift defense secretary, national se- dent." weeks in advance of any result blowback Thursday from both par- curity adviser and attorney gen- "You are in the United States of is setting off alarms ahead of an ties in Congress, and lawmakers eral to declare they'll support the America. It is a democracy," she Election Day like almost no other. were already turning to unprec- Nov. 3 results. "The President can't said, reminding Trump this is not Even without signs of illegality, re- edented steps to ensure he can't successfully refuse to accept the North Korea, Russia or other coun- sults could be delayed because of ignore the vote of the people. results of the election without a tries with strongman leaders he ad- the pandemic, leaving the nation Congressional leaders, including number of very senior officials aid- mires. "So why don't you just try for exposed to groups or foreign coun- Senate Majority Leader Mitch Mc- ing him," said Rep. Elissa Slotkin of a moment to honor our oath of of- tries seeking to sow discord. Connell and House Speaker Nancy Michigan, a former CIA analyst, fice to the Constitution of the Unit- Trump is fanning the uncertainty as Pelosi, rejected Trump's suggestion one of two congresswomen be- ed States." Trump’s attacks on the he floats theories the election may that he'd "see what happens" be- hind letters to the nation's top na- upcoming vote -- almost without be “rigged” if he loses, echoing fore agreeing to any election out- tional security officials. modern precedent in the U.S. -- are warnings he made ahead of the come. Meanwhile, McConnell, the GOP hitting amid the tumult of the cam- 2016 voting — even though past Many other lawmakers -- including Senate leader, said in a tweet: "The paign, as partisan tensions rage elections have not shown substan- from Trump's own Republican Party winner of the November 3rd elec- and more Americans than ever are tial evidence of fraud from mail-in -- vowed to ensure voters' wishes tion will be inaugurated on Janu- planning to vote by mail because voting. are followed ahead of Inaugura- ary 20th." He said, "There will be an of the coronavirus pandemic. Continued on next page A2 FRIDAY 25 SEPTEMBER 2020 UP FRONT Continued from Front That's how a "dictator" op- During a Wednesday news erates, she said. "That's not conference, Trump said, how a democracy works." "We're going to have to see By Thursday, the White what happens," respond- House sought to clarify ing to a question about Trump's words committing to the results. "The president will accept "You know that I've been the results of a free and fair complaining very strongly election," said Press Secre- about the ballots, and the tary Kayleigh McEnany. ballots are a disaster." But the press secretary also Reaction to his comment said anew that Trump wants was strong from Capitol Hill to "get rid of mass, mail-out — from both parties. voting." And Trump himself Lindsey Graham, a Trump said he was not sure there ally and the GOP chair of could be an "honest" elec- the Senate Judiciary Com- tion as he left the White mittee, told "Fox & Friends" House on a campaign trip on Thursday, "If Republicans to North Carolina. lose we will accept the re- The president, who uses sult. If the Supreme Court mail-in voting himself, has rules in favor of Joe Biden, I Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., arrives to meet with reporters following a Repub- tried to distinguish between will accept that result." lican strategy session, at the Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, Sept. 22, 2020. states that automatically Rep. Liz Cheney of Wyo- Associated Press send mail ballots to all reg- ming, a member of the istered voters and those, House GOP leadership, the most irrational things. ing the Constitution and after Nov. 3rd." like Florida, that send them tweeted: "The peaceful I don't know what to say peaceful transition. Meanwhile, Republicans only to voters who request transfer of power is en- about it. But it doesn't sur- Gen. Mark Milley, chairman are rushing to fill the vacan- them. Five states that rou- shrined in our Constitution prise me." of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, cy on the Supreme Court tinely send mail ballots to and fundamental to the On Capitol Hill, Trump's pos- responded in a letter to the created by Ruth Bader all voters have seen no sig- survival of our Republic. sible refusal to accept the lawmakers last month that Ginsburg's death, partly nificant fraud. America's leaders swear election results has been he sees "no role" for the mili- to ensure a Trump-friendly Of the nine states with uni- an oath to the Constitution. discussed privately for tary to intervene in a dis- court majority to resolve versal ballots this year, only We will uphold that oath." weeks as lawmakers con- puted election. any post-election lawsuits Nevada is a battleground, Longtime Republican Sen. sider options. One senator But Defense Secretary by their party or Trump him- worth six electoral votes Richard Shelby of Ala- said recently it was the big- Mark Esper declined to re- self. and likely to be pivotal only bama, chairman of the gest topic of private discus- spond to the lawmakers' Texas Sen. Ted Cruz is in a total national presiden- Appropriations Committee, sions. questions. Similar queries among leading Republi- tial deadlock. said, "Well, we've always "We have a lot of lawyers at have been sent to Attorney cans pushing the impor- Before the 2016 election, had a peaceful transfer of work," Pelosi said. General William Barr and tance of the court's role. much as now, Trump re- power. That's one of the Two House Democrats, Homeland Security Secre- And Graham suggested on fused to commit to ac- hallmarks. And I think this Reps. Mikie Sherill of New tary Chad Wolf. They have Fox that the Supreme Court cepting the results during year will be no exception." Jersey and Slotkin of Michi- yet to respond. could end up all but de- the summer. Biden, the Democratic gan — both members of Slotkin said Thursday it is claring the winner. "I have to see," Trump said presidential nominee, was the Armed Services Com- important to get senior mili- Democrats object strongly. two months ago on "Fox incredulous, "What coun- mittee — are formally ask- tary and DHS officials clear- "He wants to be named News Sunday." "No, I'm not try are we in?" he said late ing members of Trump's ly "on the record." It is those president for life?" Sen. going to just say yes. I'm not Wednesday of Trump's Cabinet to go on record officials, she said, "that will Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., going to say no, and I didn't comment. "Look, he says and commit to uphold- determine what happens exclaimed at the Capitol. last time either."q U.S. Health Department's Caputo has cancer, spokesperson says ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — Michael Caputo, installed as assistant secretary for public who is on a 60-day leave from his role as affairs by the White House in April at a time spokesperson for the U.S. Department of of tense relations with Health Secretary Health and Human Services after accus- Alex Azar. ing government scientists of sedition, has Caputo, who was born in Buffalo and has metastatic cancer, a state lawmaker said no health care background, has faced Thursday. scrutiny in recent weeks over news reports Doctors have diagnosed cancer in the that he tried to gain editorial control over head and neck, David DiPietro, a Repub- a scientific weekly published by the Cen- lican state assemblyman in western New ters for Disease Control and Prevention. York who said he was acting as a spokes- Caputo also hosted a video on his Face- person for Caputo, told reporters. The Buf- book page in which he likened govern- falo News first reported the diagnosis. ment scientists to a "resistance" against The squamous cell carcinoma originated Trump and warned that shooting would in Caputo's throat, DiPietro said. Caputo break out if Trump won reelection in No- is now home in western New York with his vember and Democratic rival Joe Biden In this May 1, 2018, file photo, Former Donald Trump campaign family, the lawmaker said. refused to concede.q official Michael Caputo, left, joined by his attorney Dennis C. The Department of Health and Human Ser- Vacco, leaves after being interviewed by Senate Intelligence vices had announced Sept. 16 that Capu- Committee staff investigating Russian meddling in the 2016 pres- idential election, on Capitol Hill in Washington.