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Republican leaders in Michigan said they "have not yet been aware of any information that would change the outcome of the election" in the state after meeting with President Trump at the White House Friday.
Why it matters: The meeting was part of a long-shot effort by Trump and his campaign to prevent Michigan from certifying President-elect Joe Biden’s victory in the state, per NYT. But state Senate Majority Leader Mike Shirkey (R) and Speaker of the House Lee Chatfield (R) made clear they would not be intimidated into diverging from the normal election process.
- COVID-19 threw a wrench in the Trump campaign’s plans Friday morning, when Rudy Giuliani and other key members of his legal team were forced to avoid the Michigan meeting after they were exposed to the coronavirus, per Axios' Jonathan Swan.
What they're saying: “Michigan’s certification process should be a deliberate process free from threats and intimidation," Shirkey and Chatfield said in a statement after the White House meeting.
- "[W]e have faith in the committee process to provide greater transparency and accountability to our citizens," they added.
- "We have not yet been made aware of any information that would change the outcome of the election in Michigan and as legislative leaders, we will follow the law and follow the normal process regarding Michigan’s electors, just as we have said throughout this election."
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