US President Donald Trump did not ask Michigan Republican lawmakers to "break the law" or "interfere" with the election during a meeting at the White House, a legislative leader says, a day before canvassers plan to meet about whether to certify Joe Biden's 154,000-vote victory in the battleground state.
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Michigan House Speaker Lee Chatfield was among seven Republican legislators who met Trump for about an hour on Friday amid his long-shot efforts to block Biden's win with unfounded claims of widespread vote fraud.
"There was this outrage that the president was going to ask us to break the law, he was going to ask us to interfere and that just simply didn't happen," he told Fox News on Sunday about the highly unusual meeting.
He did not elaborate on what was discussed, except to say the delegation asked for additional federal aid to help Michigan's coronavirus response.
Michigan's elections agency has recommended that the November 3 results - including Democrat Biden's 2.8-percentage point victory - be certified by the Board of State Canvassers.
The Republican National Committee and the state Republican Party want the board to adjourn for 14 days to investigate alleged irregularities in Wayne County, the state's largest and home to Detroit.
Staff for the state elections bureau said claimed irregularities, even if verified, would not significantly affect the outcome.
If the board does not confirm the results on Monday and the Michigan Supreme Court does not order it to do so, Chatfield said "now we have a constitutional crisis".
He and other Republicans, however, have indicated they will not undermine the voters' will.
Experts say the state board's authority is limited and it must certify the results now all 83 counties have reported theirs to the state.
Australian Associated Press
