Winner of Election Will Be Determined by Courts: Trump Lawyer Jenna Ellis

The Supreme Court in Washington on Sept. 21, 2020. (Samira Bouaou/The Epoch Times)

A campaign lawyer for President Donald Trump insisted that the winner of the election will be determined by the courts—perhaps the Supreme Court.

The lawyer, Jenna Ellis, said that while news outlets declared Democratic nominee Joe Biden president-elect, they don’t have the power to appoint a candidate.

“We all want to know who will be president for the next four years. But all Americans should want accurate results above all, no matter who they supported in the race,” Ellis wrote for Fox News in an opinion piece.

It comes as Trump’s legal team has filed lawsuits in critical battleground states, alleging voter fraud and irregularities. They also said that witnesses have provided them with statements asserting irregularities. Some states, including Georgia and Wisconsin, appear to be heading to a recount, while ballot counting appears to still be going on in Alaska, Nevada, North Carolina, and Arizona.

“As Americans, we should all be able to recognize that our rule of law governs and our election process works accurately. For President Trump, the Trump 2020 campaign and the Republican National Committee, the rule of law, fundamental fairness, and accuracy in election results are the goals,” Ellis said.

The Epoch Times will not declare a winner of the 2020 presidential election until all results are certified and any legal challenges are resolved.

All 50 states have to certify the election over the coming weeks before presenting the results to the Electoral College, which then votes to determine the outcome. The inauguration ceremony for the next president is Jan. 20, 2021.

Ellis cited the 2000 presidential race between Democratic former Vice President Al Gore and then-Republican Texas Gov. George W. Bush.

“Twenty years ago, some news organizations prematurely said Gore won that very close election and would become the next president of the United States. Those news organizations later pulled back their projections,” she said, although there are differences between the two races.

At the time, she said, “legal challenges by the Bush campaign went all the way to the Supreme Court. The nation’s highest court determined that George W. Bush won the election. Imagine how different history would have turned out if Bush had simply thrown in the towel as soon as he heard someone on TV say Gore won the race.”

Ellis said that every “legal vote” has to be accurately counted, echoing comments made by Trump.

She also said that both the Trump and Biden camps “are permitted by law to observe the counting of ballots to ensure honesty and transparency,” while noting that Republican poll watchers were prevented from going to certain areas.

Ellis also called for recounts in states that have thin margins, while outstanding legal challenges have to be resolved.

Biden declared victory on Nov. 7, saying, “I pledge to be a president who seeks not to divide but to unify, who doesn’t see red states or blue states but the United States.”