The Claim: "Joe Biden stole the 2020 election from Donald Trump"
Introduction
The claim that "Joe Biden stole the 2020 election from Donald Trump" has been a prominent assertion among some political groups and individuals since the conclusion of the 2020 U.S. presidential election. This claim suggests that widespread fraud or misconduct occurred, resulting in an illegitimate victory for Biden. The verdict on this claim is that it is false; extensive investigations and audits have not substantiated claims of widespread election fraud that would have altered the outcome.
What We Know
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Election Results: Joe Biden won the 2020 presidential election with 306 electoral votes compared to Donald Trump's 232. Biden also received over 81 million popular votes (51.3% of the total), while Trump received over 74 million (46.8%) (Federal Election Commission).
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Legal Challenges: Following the election, Trump and his allies filed numerous lawsuits contesting the results in various states. The vast majority of these lawsuits were dismissed due to lack of evidence. A comprehensive review by the Associated Press found that out of more than 60 lawsuits, only a handful were successful, and none changed the election outcome (Associated Press, 2020).
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Election Security: The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) described the 2020 election as "the most secure in American history." They stated that there was no evidence of any voting system being compromised (CISA, November 2020).
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Audits and Recounts: Several states conducted audits and recounts of the ballots, including Georgia and Arizona. These processes reaffirmed the original outcomes, with no significant discrepancies found that would indicate fraud (Georgia Secretary of State, Arizona Secretary of State).
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Bipartisan Consensus: Both Republican and Democratic officials, including former Attorney General William Barr, stated that there was no evidence of widespread fraud that would have affected the election results (Reuters, December 2020).
Analysis
The claim that Biden stole the election is rooted in a belief that widespread fraud occurred, but the evidence does not support this assertion. The legal challenges mounted by Trump’s team were largely unsuccessful, and the claims of fraud have been repeatedly debunked by election officials and independent observers.
The assertion of election theft often relies on anecdotal evidence or isolated incidents, which do not reflect the overall integrity of the election process. For example, while there are always minor irregularities in any election, these do not amount to systemic fraud capable of altering the outcome.
Furthermore, the claims have been widely propagated through social media and political rhetoric, often without substantiated evidence. The lack of credible sources or data to back these claims raises significant questions about their validity.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the claim that "Joe Biden stole the 2020 election from Donald Trump" is false. The evidence from multiple sources, including election officials and independent audits, confirms that the election was conducted fairly and securely. While the assertion persists in some circles, it is not supported by factual data or credible investigations. The ongoing discourse around this claim highlights the importance of verifying information and understanding the electoral process to maintain trust in democratic institutions.
