McConnell: Voter fraud happens

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said Tuesday that voter fraud “does happen,” but would not weigh in on President Trump’s claim that it cost him the popular vote.

“It does occur,” he told reporters at a weekly press conference. “The notion that election fraud is a fiction is not true.”

“There are always arguments on both sides about how much, how frequent and all the rest,” he added.

McConnell, asked about Trump’s comments, noted there are “people literally in jail in Kentucky” for voter fraud.

{mosads}Two sources told The Hill that Trump, during a closed-door Monday meeting, told the eight congressional leaders gathered that he only lost the popular vote because of rampant voter fraud by “illegals.”

Asked about the comments on Tuesday, White House press secretary Sean Spicer said that it is Trump’s “belief” that voter fraud is widespread.

Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) said congressional leadership, including Republicans, didn’t give Trump’s comments “much credence.”

Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) appeared to distance himself from Trump, noting he has seen “no evidence” that voter fraud impacted the outcome of the election.