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No one expected Donald Trump to be a gracious loser. But his hysterical and groundless claims that Democrats are stealing the 2020 election dishonor his office and sully the image of American democracy around the world. 

Sadly, they are par for the course. Whining, lying and suing is what Trump reflexively does whenever he’s cornered. The true national disgrace here is the Republican Party’s craven acquiescence in Trump’s false accusations and conspiratorial ranting. 

On Fox News last night, Sean Hannity lived up to his reputation as “Fox’s dumbest anchor” by witlessly parroting Trump’s claims. He also trotted out Trump henchpersons Corey Lewandowski and Pam Bondi to provide personal testimony of voter fraud that was at once incomprehensible and ludicrously thin.   

Then Senators Lindsay Graham and Ted Cruz and Newt Gingrich, another world-class dissembler, chimed in. Cruz lashed out at “Democratic cities” alleged inability to count votes fairly. No one cautioned that the President of the United States has a solemn responsibility to offer proof for his grave allegations. It was a nauseating spectacle of intellectual dishonesty and misplaced outrage at Democrats for doing what Trump is actually doing – defrauding the voters.   

Once again, the honorable exception was Sen. Mitt Romney. Trump, he said, “is wrong to say the election was rigged, corrupt and stolen.” Such a claim coming from the president of the United States “damages the cause of freedom here and around the world…and recklessly inflames destructive and dangerous passion.”

Will any other prominent Republicans step up and speak the truth as Trump trashes the integrity of U.S. elections? Don’t count on it.