Still reeling from election loss, Trump says Mitch McConnell ‘blew it’ for America – Courier Journal

McConnell decries Beshear's plan surrounding unemployment benefits

McConnell met with local officials about the best ways to incentivize workers to return to the workforce.

Michael Clevenger, Louisville Courier Journal

Former President Donald Trump slammed Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell for not contesting the 2020 presidential electionin a statement Monday, saying the Kentucky Republican "blew it for the Country."

"Had Mitch McConnell fought for the Presidency like he should have, there would right now be Presidential Vetoes on all of the phased Legislation that he has proven to be incapable of stopping," Trump said.

Trump has continued to claim the 2020 election which saw President Joe Biden win the popular vote and Electoral College was fraudulent and encouraged his followers by sharing disproven information before and after the deadly insurrection at the U.S. Capitol in January.

Since acknowledging Biden's win when he secured the Electoral College, McConnell has notpublicly suggested the presidential election was illegitimate, though he did not vote to convict Trump when he was impeached for his role in the riots.

More McConnell: McConnell pans Beshear's 'back-to-work' incentive, urges end to $300 unemployment benefit

McConnell did say afterthe insurrection that"The mob was fed lies.They were provoked by the president and other powerful people."

In his latest statement, Trump also blames McConnell for Republicans' losses in two special elections in Georgia that swung control of the U.S. Senate to Democrats.

"He never fought for the White House and blew it for the Country," the statement reads. "Too bad I backed him in Kentucky, he would have been primariedand lost!"

McConnell's last serious primary challenge was mounted in 2014 by former Gov. Matt Bevin, who declined to run for Senate again in 2020 in the wake of a pardon scandal at the end of his gubernatorial term. The longtime senator had seven primary opponents in 2020 but won easily. He then crushed Democrat Amy McGrath in the November general election.

Trumpgoes on to allege "based on press reports" that McConnell worked with then-U.S. Attorney General Bill Barr "to get the corrupt (based on massive amounts of evidence that the Fake News refuses to mention!) election done, over with, and sealed for Biden, ASAP!"

Emails: Trump White House pressured Justice Department to back claims of voter fraud

That portion of the statement appears to reference conversations between Barr and McConnell in which the then-Senate Majority Leader urged Barr to refute Trump's false claims of voter fraud that was reported in the Atlantic on Sunday in an excerpt from an ABC News' journalist's new book.

ABC's Jonathan Karl confirmed the conversations with McConnell and Barr, he says in the Atlantic.

Trump, who is banned from most major social media outlets, has releasednumerous brief statements like Monday's since he left office, targeting various issues and political figures.

He's targeted McConnell before previouslycalling him an "unsmiling political hack" and "gutless and clueless."

The former president is also back to holding rallies, appearing in Ohio on Saturday.

USAToday and Courier Journal reporter Morgan Watkins contributed to the reporting of this story.

Reach reporterMary Ramsey atmramsey@gannett.com, and follow her on Twitter@mcolleen1996. Support strong local journalism in our community bysubscribing to The Courier Journaltoday.

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Still reeling from election loss, Trump says Mitch McConnell 'blew it' for America - Courier Journal