Pelosi, Reid Call for All Leaders to Join in Affirming Fairness of our Democratic Process

"The basic functioning of our democracy relies on the simple principle that win or lose an election, both sides accept the result.  After the most closely-contested presidential election in decades, we put our differences aside, accepted the result and worked with President Bush.  Our system is designed to maintain faith in the process.  It is essential that everyone acknowledges that the process is fair, even if all parties don't like the result of a given election.  That is why we have tremendous transparency built into the process, from the precinct level to Democratic and Republican secretaries of state.  And that is why our system allows for recounts, according to applicable state laws.

"But amidst this election's steady descent into new depths, something is missing: leadership from those who know better and who understand the severity of the threat posed by a major party nominee refusing to accept the results of a fair election.

"When a major party's nominee riles up his supporters and repeats the lie that the election is 'rigged,' the failure of Speaker Ryan and Senator McConnell to affirm the fairness of our democratic process and condemn Donald Trump's comments is complicity.

"There are always issues – long lines, broken voting machines, hanging chads.  And in this election, there is the unprecedented factor of a hostile foreign government seeking to influence the outcome.  But these issues notwithstanding, a simple, bipartisan statement of faith in the integrity of our elections will help calm the waters that Donald Trump appears determined to agitate.

"This issue is bigger than any of us and bigger than this election.  This is about each of us doing our part to ensure the continued functioning of our democracy.  At some point, the good of the country must outweigh the instinct for political self-preservation."