Sen. Schumer ‘worries’ about Trump and facts
Democrat says the president cannot “believe his own facts”
When President Trump told a bipartisan meeting of congressional leaders late Monday that millions of illegal immigrants had cast ballots against him in the November election, Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer says no one in the room “really gave it much credence, including our Republican colleagues.”
House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., spoke up, telling the president there was no evidence for his assertion that illegal ballots had cost him the popular vote, a charge already debunked by fact-checkers. Schumer says the conversation at the closeddoor White House meeting then moved on to other topics.
But the New York Democrat, who says he hopes to work with Trump on issues including a $1 trillion infrastructure plan unveiled by Democrats on Tuesday, told Capital Download that “I worry” about what the episode may reveal about the new president.
“Let me say this: In general you cannot run a country unless you know the facts,” he told USA TODAY’s video newsmaker series.
“If you’re going to believe your own facts, whether it’s about what Putin is doing in the world or what jobs or companies are doing here, you aren’t going to be able to govern, so I worry about it. ...
“President Obama said that the presidency has a sobering effect on people when they take the office, and what I’m doing is hoping and praying that that happens.”
Later, White House press secretary Sean Spicer reiterated that Trump believes that he lost the popular vote to Hillary Clinton by nearly 3 million votes because of massive voter fraud. “The president ... continues to maintain that belief based on studies and evidence people have brought to him.” Only when pressed did Spicer say the administration might call for an investigation. “Maybe we will,” he said.
Several studies have found no evidence of widespread voter fraud. A report by the Brennan Center for Justice estimated voter-fraud rates were tiny, between 0.00004% and 0.0009%.
House Speaker Paul Ryan, RWis., asked about Trump’s assertions at Monday’s meeting, told reporters he has seen “no evidence” of rampant voter fraud.
In an interview in the Mike Mansfield Room in the Capitol, Schumer also said Democrats were hopeful Trump would work with them on a $1 trillion, 10-year infrastructure plan that they say would create 15 million jobs. The president has vowed to enact a wide-ranging infrastructure bill, but it’s not clear whether the two sides will be able to agree on how to pay for it.
Trump advisers have suggested financing an infrastructure bill using tax credits and public-private partnerships. Democrats argue that approach won’t work for some of the most-needed investments, saying federal spending is necessary.
Trump campaigned on a trillion-dollar infrastructure proposal, Schumer noted.
“I’ve talked with him on the phone and I’ve said, ‘You know, if you’re just going to listen to the hard right, you’re not going to get anything done.’
“He acknowledged that. He’s going to have to work with us to get this done, and we’ve shown him a way to go.”
While insisting Democrats’ goal wasn’t to put a wedge between Trump and congressional Republicans, Schumer acknowledged that might be one effect. “To get it done, he may have to break with those doctrinaire people who are out of touch with what Democrats and Republicans in America have always supported, which is the federal government should assist in building roads, highways, bridges, tunnels.”
“If you’re going to believe your own facts ... you aren’t going to be able to govern, so I worry about it.” Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer, D-N.Y.