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Trump defends tweet on possible Election Day delay, cites mail-in balloting media reports
President Trump on Thursday defended an early morning tweet in which he suggested delaying November's presidential election, arguing the vote could be “fixed” and “rigged” because of suspected risks in plans for nationwide, universal mail-in ballots.

The president said delays in tabulating mail-in ballot results, including from lost ballots, could mean the election winner wouldn't be known for weeks or even months after Election Day.

“You're sending out hundreds of millions of universal mail-in ballots. Hundreds of millions. Where are they going? Who are they being sent to? It's common sense," Trump told reporters at a White House news briefing. "I want an election, and a result, much more than you. I think we're doing very well. ... I don't want to see a rigged election."

Trump's briefing followed backlash against his tweet from both sides of the aisle, with Democrats railing against the suggestion and some Republicans saying they, too, opposed it. The Senate's top Republican, Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, told a news station in his home state of Kentucky that the Nov. 3 date of the election would not be changed. CLICK HERE FOR MORE ON OUR TOP STORY.

Other related developments:
- Swift backlash after Trump suggests delaying election
- Mail-in voting faces slew of issues nationwide, as emergency Postal Service memo sounds alarm
- HANS VON SPAKOVSKY: Despite Trump tweet, election won’t be delayed — but all-mail voting poses grave dangers
- 4 LA men admit to Skid Row voter-fraud scheme, DA announces
- Trump campaign official claims Dems' vote-by-mail push has 'huge potential for fraud'

St. Louis gun owner tells 'Hannity' police have video of armed protesters outside his home
St. Louis homeowner Mark McCloskey, who was charged with unlawful use of a weapon after holding a rifle outside his home last month when protesters entered his neighborhood, said on "Hannity” on Thursday night that police “have video of people in the crowd in front of my house armed with guns.”

"The interesting thing is that the media is reporting this as a peaceful protest," McCloskey told host Sean Hannity, adding "and everybody keeps playing the same 32-second clip, or little tiny bits of a 32-second clip, of an event that went on for 12 or 15 minutes.

"Later that same night," he added, "that same crowd out in front of Mayor [Lyda Krewson's] house, one of them produced an AK-47 and actually challenged a Channel 5 reporter. And she and her armed guard had to flee. That's how peaceful that protest was."

McCloskey and his wife Patricia, who was also charged, are both attorneys and have filed a motion to disqualify St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner and her office from pursuing her case against them after statements about the case appeared in Gardner's reelection campaign literature. CLICK HERE FOR MORE.

Ghislaine Maxwell documents released, show trove of emails with Epstein, despite her denials
Ghislaine Maxwell, the alleged madam of the late financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, was in touch with him despite claiming in her bail hearing she was not in contact with him for 10 years, a trove of emails released Thursday revealed.

“Since JE was charged in 2007 for solicitation of a prostitute I have been the target of outright lies, innuendo, slander, defamation and salacious gossip and harassment,” Epstein emailed Maxwell in January 2015, apparently supplying her with a statement to use against reporting linking her to him.

The statement goes on to say stories about Maxwell have been wholly inaccurate, including “false allegations of impropriety and offense behavior that I abhor and have never been a party to.”

Epstein adds that Maxwell was in “very long-term committed relationship” at the time of his plea and she had limited contact with him since. CLICK HERE FOR MORE.

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#TheFlashback: CLICK HERE to find out what happened on "This Day in History."

SOME PARTING WORDS

Tucker Carlson says he’s giving people the benefit of the doubt when it comes to whether they believe that recent rioting is all about the death of George Floyd. Some people may actually believe that, Carlson says, arguing the liberal mom living next door to you is probably sincere when she lectures you about the scourge of police brutality.

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