SC tosses GOP election suit; Biden names Austin as defence secretary
WASHINGTON: US Supreme Court on Tuesday dismissed a lawsuit filed by President Donald Trump’s Republican allies from Pennsylvania seeking to overturn the election outcome in the state, even as President-elect Joe Biden announced retired Gen Lloyd Austin as his nominee for secretary of defence.
Austin will become the first Black person to lead the Pentagon if he is confirmed by Senate. Announcing the nomination, Biden said Austin had shown “exemplary leadership, character, and command”.
He also spoke about having worked with the general as vicepresident in the Obama administration.
Biden also presented his health team to lead his administration’s fight against Covid-19 and announced a three-step drive for his first 100 days in office — to urge everyone to wear masks, ensure the widest distribution of vaccines and safe and secure reopening of schools.
Trump’s efforts to overturn his defeat to Biden suffered a severe blow with the nine justices of the Supreme Court, including the three nominated by him, dismissing the lawsuit with a terse one-line order: “The application for injunctive relief presented to Justice (Samuel) Alito and by him referred to the Court is denied.”
This was the first case seeking to the dispute the 2020 White House race to reach the highest court of the nation.
Biden’s team had no direct response to the order. But Ron Klain, his chief of staff, retweeted a post that summed up the situation succinctly: “Biden won again today so that’s kinda great.”
Democrats keeping a count said the president and his allies’ scorecard is one legal victory to 50 defeats.
Rudy Giuliani and Jenna Ellis, his lawyers spearheading those legal challenges, have both tested positive for Covid-19.