Former White House ethics chief accuses Trump of ‘laying groundwork’ to interfere with presidential election

Walter Shaub was the director of the United States Office of Government Ethics during both the Obama and Trump administrations

A former White House ethics director has claimed Donald Trump is “laying the groundwork” to interfere with the November election results after the president went on a Twitter rampage against California's voting process.

Walter Shaub was the director of the United States Office of Government Ethics in both the Obama and Trump administrations, but has lately been outspoken against Mr Trump and how he treats the presidency.

Mr Shaub said the president was preparing to ignore the upcoming presidential election results after a tweet storm on Saturday.

“So in California, the Democrats, who fought like crazy to get all mail in only ballots, and succeeded, have just opened a voting booth in the most Democrat area in the State,” Mr Trump tweeted. “They are trying to steal another election. It’s all rigged out there. These votes must not count. SCAM!”

Mr Shaub responded to the tweet, writing: “... and right on cue, here he is laying the groundwork for a refusal to leave office.”

Previous tweets from the former ethics director showed other examples that he believed proved Mr Trump was working to discredit the upcoming election in case he lost, including consistently tweeting about the “rigged” system.

The president turned his focus to the California election system after Governor Gavin Newsom issued an executive order on Friday allowing for the state’s registered voters to vote through mail-in ballots for the November general election. Under the executive order, election officials would be required to send mail-in ballots to every voter.

“Elections and the right to vote are foundational to our democracy,” Mr Newsom said in a statement. “No Californian should be forced to risk their health in order to exercise their right to vote.”

California’s 25th district was holding a congressional special election on Tuesday for an open House seat. Republican Mike Garcia, the president's pick, was running against Democrat Christy Smith.

Residents in the district were expected to mail-in ballots for the election, but safe voting locations were also opened to make sure everyone got the opportunity to cast their vote. Mr Trump, a tough critic against mail-in ballots, claimed it was all a ploy for the Democrats to “steal” the election.

“Governor @GavinNewsom of California won’t let restaurants, beaches and stores open, but he installs a voting booth system in a highly Democrat area (supposed to be mail in ballots only) because our great candidate, @MikeGarcia2020, is winning by a lot. CA25 Rigged Election,” he wrote during his rant on Saturday.

Mayor Rex Parris, a Republican, actually assisted the district in creating a safe voting location for the special election on Tuesday, not the governor.

Republicans across the country, specifically the president, have pushed back against mail-in voting, claiming a widespread system would “undermine election security,” White House spokesperson Tim Murtaugh wrote on Twitter Friday.

Researchers have not found proof election security would be impacted, and a system of mail-in ballots has actually grown in popularity during the pandemic.

Most Americans, including a majority of Republicans, are in favour of a mail-in voting system for the general election to avoid gathering in public places, according to Reuters/Ipsos poll published in April. About 72 per cent of Americans wanted mail-in ballots.

California’s upcoming special election has taken centre stage in America, and it could face more accusations from the president depending on who wins the House seat.