Key facts
- Donald Trump said he asked a U.S. attorney to investigate election fraud claims in California.
- Trump claimed his request led to Steve Hilton's victory in an election.
- Hilton has stated he has not seen evidence of fraud in the election.
- First Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli announced an investigation into election fraud claims.
Donald Trump asserted that he requested a U.S. attorney to investigate election fraud claims in California, suggesting this action was instrumental in Steve Hilton's electoral victory. Trump stated that approximately an hour after his call to an unspecified attorney, Hilton won his election, implying that without his intervention, Hilton would not have been successful.
However, Steve Hilton has repeatedly stated that he has not observed any evidence of fraud in the election. He pointed to First Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli, the top official in the Central District of California, as a check on potential wrongdoing. Essayli had announced an investigation into election fraud claims earlier in the month. In a recent interview, Hilton mentioned that his campaign had teams and lawyers prepared but dispelled conspiracies regarding election integrity, stating, "We’ve seen nothing that would give us cause to intervene in that way." He expressed trust in Essayli to investigate any necessary matters.
Trump also made similar comments about the Los Angeles mayoral race, alleging the state "screw[ed]" Republican Spencer Pratt, who did not advance to the runoff.