MSNBC reporter Jacob Soboroff (L) presses Richard Grenell (R) for information during a Trump campaign briefing in Nevada, US. (Screen capture via Twitter/MSNBC)
Richard Grenell raged at a pool of journalists reporting at a Trump campaign press conference in Nevada Thursday (November 5), both refusing to name himself and to provide evidence of his allegations of voting fraud.
In an effort to snuff out the narrow lead held by Joe Biden in the western state, the Trump campaign has filed a lawsuit alleging that mail-in votes have been tampered with, according to The Independent.
During a briefing in front of a polling station, the former ambassador to Germany and close Trump ally accused Nevada election officials of covering up incidents of voter fraud in order to serve a win up for Biden.
But when pressed by reporters for evidence, he refused to defend his claims, MSNBC said.
Richard Grenell rages at reporters and refuses to give evidence to his claims of election fraud.
A Bloomberg News reporter, Josh Wingrove, tweeted that local journalists began the briefing, organised to announce the lawsuit, by asking Grenell and conservative activist Matt Schlapp their names – a common practise in journalism.
He ended, and journalists shouted “What’s your name!?”
Grenell again refused to say, and said, “you’re here to take in information” and “do your jobs.”
— Josh Wingrove (@josh_wingrove) November 5, 2020
“Grenell scowled at him,” Wingrove wrote, “didn’t say and just kept talking.”
After journalist shouted “what’s your name?”, Grenell bit back, telling the press gaggle they are: “Here to take in information. Do your jobs, it’s pretty easy.”
Grenell was later chased down by MSNBC reporter Jacob Soboroff after the meeting. “Where is the evidence of fraud?” he asked.
BREAKING: @jacobsoboroff demands evidence from Ric Grenell, Trump adviser and former acting director of national intelligence, to back up his assertions about votes in Nevada. pic.twitter.com/glaBjSHJk8
— MSNBC (@MSNBC) November 5, 2020
Grenell implored him to direct his question at Clark County – he alleged officials denied letting a journalist observe the county’s election count – before ducking into a van and fleeing the scene.
It comes after the former acting director of national intelligence sought to shore up support for Trump among LGBT+ voters by pegging him as an ally.
At a “Trump Pride” function in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Grenell described Trump as the “first pro-gay president”.
This is despite both the president’s track record on certain queer issues as well as his administration’s attempt to reel back an array of LGBT+ protections across several branches of the federal government.
His reasoning was instead that Trump has been “comfortable with gay men since the ’80s.”