WASHINGTON -- President Donald Trump's refusal to commit to a peaceful transfer of power if he loses drew criticism Thursday from both parties in Congress, and lawmakers took steps to ensure he can't ignore the vote of the people.
In the uproar, Trump said anew that he's not sure the election will be "honest."
Congressional leaders, including Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., rejected Trump's assertion that he'll "see what happens" before agreeing to any election outcome.
Both Republican and Democrat lawmakers vowed to make sure voters' wishes are followed ahead of Inauguration Day in January. And some Democrats were taking action, including formally asking Trump's defense secretary, homeland security adviser and attorney general to declare they'll support the Nov. 3 results, whoever wins.
Sen. John Boozman emphasized the importance of an orderly transition after an election.
[Video not showing up above? Click here to view » https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JEWdH2ojvew]
"The peaceful transition of power is a hallmark of our democracy," the Republican from Rogers said in a written statement Thursday. "This celebrated norm is what sets us apart and we fully expect this long-standing tradition to continue."
A spokesman for Sen. Tom Cotton said he had been unable to speak with the Little Rock Republican about the topic and could not comment.
Asked as he departed the White House for a campaign rally if the election is legitimate only if he is the winner, Trump said, "We'll see."
The president said he wants to "make sure the election is honest, and I'm not sure that it can be."
McConnell said in a tweet: "The winner of the November 3rd election will be inaugurated on January 20th." He said, "There will be an orderly transition just as there has been every four years since 1792."
Pelosi said it was "very sad" the president of the United States was even raising this question. "What would our founders think?" she asked.
"Calm down, Mr. President," Pelosi said at a news conference.
"You are in the United States of America. It is a democracy," she said, reminding Trump this is not North Korea, Russia or other countries with strongman leaders she claims he admires. "So why don't you just try for a moment to honor our oath of office to the Constitution of the United States."
Trump is fanning the uncertainty as he floats theories the election may be "rigged" if he loses, echoing warnings he made ahead of the 2016 voting.
During a Wednesday news conference, Trump said, "We're going to have to see what happens," responding to a question about committing to the results.
"You know that I've been complaining very strongly about the ballots, and the ballots are a disaster."
Lindsey Graham, the GOP chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, told "Fox & Friends" on Thursday, "If Republicans lose, we will accept the result. If the Supreme Court rules in favor of Joe Biden, I will accept that result."
Joe Biden, the Democratic presidential nominee, said late Wednesday of Trump's comment, "What country are we in? Look, he says the most irrational things. I don't know what to say about it. But it doesn't surprise me."
Late Thursday, on a voice vote, the Senate unanimously passed a resolution by Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., reaffirming the commitment of the Senate to a peaceful transition of power.
ON THE RECORD
Two House Democrats, Mikie Sherill of New Jersey and Elissa Slotkin of Michigan -- both members of the Armed Services Committee -- are formally asking members of Trump's Cabinet to go on record and commit to upholding the Constitution and peaceful transition.
Gen. Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, responded in a letter to the lawmakers last month that he sees "no role" for the military to intervene in a disputed election.
But Defense Secretary Mark Esper declined to respond to the lawmakers' questions. Similar queries have been sent to Attorney General William Barr and acting Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf. They have yet to respond.
"The president can't successfully refuse to accept the results of the election without a number of very senior officials aiding him," said Slotkin, a former CIA analyst.
Sherill, a former Navy pilot, said peaceful transition "really relies a lot on the Cabinet officers turning over their departments to the next administration." She told The Associated Press recently that she wants to hear from "all of them."
Longtime Sen. Richard Shelby, R-Ala., chairman of the Appropriations Committee said, "Well, we've always had a peaceful transfer of power. That's one of the hallmarks. And I think this year will be no exception."
"Regardless of how divided our country is right now, when elections are over and winners are declared, we must all commit ourselves to the Constitution and accept the results," tweeted Rep. Steve Stivers, R-Ohio, a former chairman of the House Republican campaign arm.
Sen. Mitt Romney referred to an electoral crisis in Europe, tweeting: "Fundamental to democracy is the peaceful transition of power; without that, there is Belarus. Any suggestion that a president might not respect this Constitutional guarantee is both unthinkable and unacceptable."
HIGH COURT PUSH
Meanwhile, Republicans are moving forward to fill the vacancy on the Supreme Court created by Ruth Bader Ginsburg's death, partly to resolve any postelection lawsuits.
Texas Sen. Ted Cruz is among leading Republicans pushing the importance of the court's role. And Graham suggested on Fox that the Supreme Court could end up all but declaring the winner.
"There's going to be a peaceful transfer of power. And what I'm much more concerned about is Joe Biden stated intention to challenge the legitimacy of the election if he doesn't win."
Discussing the prospect of a contested election, Cruz said: "I think that's a real threat to the legitimacy of our election and it's one of the reasons why it's so important that we confirm the Supreme Court nominee before the election, so we have a full court able to resolve whatever legal challenges arise."
"He wants to be named president for life?" Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., said at the Capitol. That's how a "dictator" operates, she said. "That's not how a democracy works."
Earlier on Thursday, White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany sought to clarify Trump's words, saying he "will accept the results of a free and fair election."
But the press secretary added that Trump wants to "get rid of mass, mail-out voting."
The president, who uses mail-in voting himself, has tried to distinguish between states that automatically send ballots to all registered voters and those, like Florida, that send only to voters who request them. Five states that routinely send mail-in ballots to all voters have seen no significant fraud.
Of the nine states with universal ballots this year, only Nevada is a battleground, and likely pivotal only in a total national presidential deadlock.
Before the 2016 election, much as now, Trump refused to commit to accepting the results during the summer.
"I have to see," Trump said two months ago on "Fox News Sunday." "No, I'm not going to just say yes. I'm not going to say no, and I didn't last time either."
CLINTON'S ADVICE
Several Republicans seized on 2016 Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton's advice to Biden not to concede if the race is close.
"Joe Biden should not concede under any circumstances because I think this is going to drag out, and eventually I do believe he will win if we don't give an inch and if we are as focused and relentless as the other side is," Clinton said last month.
Roy Blunt of Missouri, chairman of the congressional committee overseeing the inauguration said: "Well, there will be peaceful transfer of power if he loses. If he wins there'll be no transfer of power at all. You know the advice apparently given to Vice President Biden by Secretary of State [Hillary] Clinton, you should never concede -- what does that mean? What does any of this talk mean? There's an Election Day process, there is a legal process if there are concerns about that. And if there is a transition, it will be timely and peaceful."
Asked whether Trump should have said that, Blunt said: "At this point, chairing the inauguration, I'd prefer to be standing there by him when he's sworn in for a second term, but on January the 20th, one of those, one of the candidates will be sworn in as president and all the legal questions hopefully will have been answered. I think all of this talk, by both the Biden campaign and president, is unhelpful."
Information for this article was contributed by Lisa Mascaro, Aamer Madhani, Kevin Freking, Andrew Taylor, Laurie Kellman, Alexandra Jaffe and Jonathan Lemire of The Associated Press; by Paul Kane, Rachael Bade and Colby Itkowitz of The Washington Post; and by Frank E. Lockwood of The Arkansas-Democrat Gazette.
