Biden ahead in Georgia; Trump lawyers claim fraud

A top election official said Thursday the hand tally of about 5 million votes reaffirmed Joe Biden’s lead of about 13,000 votes in the Peach State. Georgia is expected to certify results on Friday. After that, the Trump campaign can request another recount by machine.

Where does the outcome of the election stand? Since Election Day, Trump’s campaign and its allies have filed 21 legal challenges. The president’s lawyers, Rudy Giuliani, Jenna Ellis, and Sidney Powell, said during a news conference in Washington on Thursday that certain electronic voting machines and software were rigged, resulting in widespread voter fraud. Giuliani said he could prove his claims, but he can’t show the evidence right now because of pending court cases and for fear that witnesses might face retribution.

The voting technology company Dominion denied the accusations and pointed to audits that showed accurate counts of ballots, along with a statement of support from federal agencies. Some Republicans are pressing the campaign and its lawyers to tone down the rhetoric unless or until they can prove their allegations. “It needs to either be proved or withdrawn,” Karl Rove, a former adviser to President George W. Bush, told Fox News.

Dig deeper: Read Jamie Dean’s report about two crucial Senate runoffs coming up in Georgia in January.

Editor’s note: WORLD has updated this report since its original posting.