Trump legal adviser: ‘We’ve always had contested elections’

Trump legal adviser Jenna Ellis on Friday defended the Trump campaign’s election-related filings in various states across the country, pointing out that disputed elections are a regular part of U.S. politics and that official Nov. 3 election results have not yet been lodged by all states.

“We have always had contested elections through the legal channels [and] through the recounts,” Ellis said Friday night on the cable TV show "Real Time with Bill Maher."

Responding to Maher’s argument that multiple heads of state and media officials have congratulated Biden on his win, Ellis  replied: “Just because we have the Pope or somebody on media who is congratulating Joe Biden – no states have yet certified their results."

"And that’s all that we’re asking, is to make sure that the results that are certified are the legitimate count," she continued. 

Ellis was partially incorrect: Several states have already certified their results, though none of the hotly contested battleground states have yet done so. Formal certification deadlines for U.S. states vary though many occur in late November or into early December.