Hillary Clinton’s legal counsel gives some confusing advice.
Democratic super-lawyer Marc Elias, known for his expertise in recount and election law, has demanded Republican Gov. Pat McCrory drop his calls for a North Carolina recount, on behalf of the apparently victorious Democrat Roy Cooper.
Meanwhile, Elias is charging ahead on Clinton’s behalf in an anticipated three-state recount that is far less likely to change the result of the presidential election.
Even after Clinton conceded and the Obama administration gave a clean bill of health to the presidential election, Elias announced that the Clinton campaign will participate in a recount. “It’s fundamental to ensure that every vote is properly counted,” he insisted on Saturday.
Not so in North Carolina. “Cooper’s lead in NC is now 9,133,” Elias tweeted Monday. “McCrory should concede.”
Elias might be right that McCrory is trailing by too much to overcome, but the Clinton recount is obviously the more futile of the two. There’s a legitimate contest going on in North Carolina, while there’s only an effort to settle a political score at the national level. The math bears that out.
On the presidential stage, Clinton lost three key states by a total of 107,000 votes, resulting in an electoral college blowout. The Obama administration told the New York Times that there was no evidence of fraud, and that election “accurately reflects the will of the American people.” Absent a miracle, Clinton’s political career ended on Nov. 8.
Three weeks after Election Day, McCrory is still fighting for his political future in the Tar Heel State and the governor’s mansion is still up for grabs. Though McCrory Cooper by less than 10,000 votes, there’s widespread concern of foul play.
Republicans are specifically calling for a recount in Durham County, where 90,000 early votes suddenly appeared late on Election Night to give Cooper the victory.
Philip Wegmann is a commentary writer for the Washington Examiner.
