Trump attorney spars with CBS host over election wins and losses

Former President Trump's attorney John Lauro sparred with CBS host Major Garrett over Trump's election win in 2016 and his loss in 2020.

Garrett asked Lauro, who is one of Trump's lawyers in his Jan. 6 case, about what Lauro was doing on election night in 2016 and asked him how Trump knew he won the election that year. Lauro said he did not remember what he was doing that night and dodged questions as the two engaged in a heated crossfire over the 2016 and 2020 elections.

"Well, I remember what I was doing," Garrett said, speaking about the 2016 election. "I was covering president-elect Trump announcing that he had won the presidency about 3 a.m. that morning after the November 8 election. My question to you, John, is how did he know he won?"

Lauro said that "politicians are convinced in the righteousness of their cause, including President Trump, and he certainly believed that —" before being cut off by Garrett, who further pressed Lauro on "what basis" did Trump know he won. Instead of answering how Trump knew he won in 2016, Lauro explained how Trump believed he won the 2020 election.

"Can I finish?" Lauro responded. "And he believed in 2020 that he won based on the fact that he had 10 million more votes than in 2016. He had a situation where somehow, President Biden — or at that time candidate Biden — received 15 million more votes than Hillary Clinton."

After a few seconds of crosstalk, Garrett reiterated that he was asking Lauro about 2016, not 2020.

"John, I wasn't asking about 2020 I was asking about 2016 because because the votes were still being counted in 2016," Garrett said. "The votes were still being counted in 2016. There have been no recounts. How did he know in 2016, that he had won? How do you know? On what basis?"

"Let me just tell you something, the issue and this criminal case is not what happened in 2016 and whether all candidates say they won," Lauro responded. "The issue now is in 2020 whether or not the Justice Department can weaponize criminal law to go after a political opponent and prevent that opponent from running for office. That's the issue, not what happened in 2016."

When Garrett tried to conclude the interview by thanking Lauro for his time, Lauro interrupted to ask him if he thought whether "it's fair what the Biden administration is doing to a candidate for president?"

Trump was indicted last week on four federal counts in connection with alleged efforts to overturn the 2020 election. He pleaded not guilty to the charges in Washington, D.C. on Thursday.