Hogan calls Giuliani press conference a ‘train wreck’

Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan (R) on Friday blasted the press conference held this week by Rudy Giuliani and other members of President Trump’s outside legal team to contest the results of the election, calling it a “train wreck.”

“I thought it was absolutely incredible,” Hogan, a vocal GOP critic of Trump, told MSNBC’s Chuck Todd. “On the one hand it’s outrageous, on the other hand it’s not surprising. It’s all a sideshow.”

Giuliani, Trump’s personal attorney, joined other campaign lawyers for a press conference at the Republican National Committee (RNC) headquarters on Thursday to highlight ongoing litigation challenging election results in several states while broadly accusing Democrats of conspiring to steal the election.

While Trump has not conceded the election, Hogan said he is “hopeful” that the General Services Administration (GSA) will acknowledge Joe Biden as president-elect, opening up resources for his transition team and helping foster a smooth transfer of power.

“I’m hopeful. I think it’s extremely important — I told it to both administrations — that we have to get them talking,” Hogan said, adding that he had a “great meeting” with Vice President Pence and the White House coronavirus task force.

Hogan has not always backed Trump’s handling of the pandemic — saying earlier this year that “waiting around for the president to run the nation’s response was hopeless” — but tried to strike a tone of unity on Friday by lauding Operation Warp Speed, the federal government’s program to accelerate vaccine development and distribution.

“Operation Warp Speed is a tremendous success for the current administration. The vaccine is critically important to getting our economies back on track and getting us back to normal — some type of a normal pre-COVID life,” the governor said.

Hogan, who was one of the first Republican governors to congratulate Biden on his projected electoral victory, reiterated Friday that he believes Trump’s refusal to concede is bad for his legacy and the GOP.

“And I am very concerned, and I have raised the issue repeatedly, that we really do need a peaceful transition of power. We need to begin the transition to the new administration,” he said.

“It’s bad for the country and our standing in the world,” he added.