President Donald Trump is facing a new setback in his desperate bid to overturn the US election, as a federal judge dismissed a lawsuit filed by his campaign that sought to throw out millions of votes in Pennsylvania.
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US District Court Judge Matthew Brann ruled that Trump's campaign had failed to demonstrate there had been widespread voting fraud in the November 3 election, which Trump lost to Democrat Joe Biden.
"This Court has been presented with strained legal arguments without merit and speculative accusations," Brann wrote.
The lawsuit, spearheaded by Trump's personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani, sought to stop officials from certifying Biden's victory in the state, arguing that some counties wrongly allowed voters to fix errors on their mail ballots.
Giuliani did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The lawsuit is one of dozens filed by Trump and his Republican allies in the aftermath of the election. They are also seeking to invalidate or change the results through recounts and direct pressure on lawmakers in several states.
The campaign has not provided evidence for its claims of widespread and coordinated electoral fraud.
The General Services Administration, run by a Trump appointee, has not recognised Biden's victory, preventing his team from gaining access to government office space and funding normally provided to an incoming administration ahead of Inauguration Day on January 20.
Critics say the delay and Trump's refusal to concede have serious implications for national security and the fight against the coronavirus, which has killed nearly 255,000 Americans.
Australian Associated Press
