The US Justice Department is launching an investigation based on President Donald Trump's unsubstantiated claims of widespread voter fraud in the US election.
But the top prosecutor who would have the job of overseeing the investigation has quit in protest.
A memo from Attorney General William Barr authorising the inquiry prompted Richard Pilger, head of the Justice Department’s elections crime branch, to resign.
Mr Pilger told his colleagues that Mr Barr had implemented “an important new policy abrogating the 40-year-old non-interference policy for ballot fraud investigations in the period prior to elections becoming certified and uncontested", CNN reported.
States oversee their own ballot counting and election certification process without federal involvement.
The full certification process typically takes days or weeks after election day to complete.
President Donald Trump is still refusing to concede the election after losing to Joe Biden, the president-elect.
Mr Trump has justified his refusal to accept the election results with unsubstantiated claims of widespread voter fraud.
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US President-elect Joe Biden discusses protecting the Affordable Care Act and his health care plans during a news conference in Wilmington, Delaware. Reuters -
US President-elect Joe Biden arrives at The Queen theatre where he was scheduled to address the media about the Trump administration’s lawsuit to overturn the Affordable Care Act, in Wilmington, Delaware. AFP -
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, a Republican from Kentucky, centre, at the US Capitol in Washington. Mr McConnell said President Donald Trump was '100% within his rights' to investigate any possible voting irregularities. Bloomberg -
A demonstrator holds a sign in front of the US Supreme Court in Washington as the high court opened arguments in the long-running case over Affordable Care Act. AFP -
Demonstrators hold signs in front of the US Supreme Court in Washington, as the high court opened arguments in the long-brewing case over Affordable Care Act. AFP -
The Capitol building in Washington. US Senate Majority Leader McConnell said President Trump was 'within his rights' to consider challenging results of the presidential election. Bloomberg -
US President-elect Joe Biden arrives at The Queen theatre for internal meetings in Wilmington, Delaware. AFP -
Protesting supporters of US President Donald Trump are reflected in a window, as election workers continue to tabulate votes at the Maricopa County Tabulation and Election Center in Phoenix, Arizona. Reuters -
Douglas Bucklin, Republican poll watcher on behalf of President Donald Trump, center, observes Election Bureau Director Albert L. Gricoski, left, and election bureau staff Christine Marmas, right, open provisional ballots at the Schuylkill County Election Bureau in Pottsville, Pennsylvania. The Republican-Herald via AP -
Democrat poll watcher Edward Brennan, left, and Douglas Bucklin, Republican poll watcher on behalf of President Donald Trump, right, look over provisional ballots while Assistant County Solicitor Christopher W. Hobbs, back right, oversees them at the Schuylkill County Election Bureau in Pottsville, Pennsylvania. The Republican-Herald via AP -
Uncounted provisional ballots sit in boxes at the Schuylkill County Election Bureau in Pottsville, Pennsylvania. The Republican-Herald via AP -
A cyclist passes a Count Our Votes sign near the Allegheny County Election Division Warehouse on Pittsburgh's Northside where votes continue to be counted. AP Photo -
US Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) arrives to speak after the Senate Republican GOP leadership election on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC. Reuters -
US Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) speaks to reporters about the results in the 2020 US presidential election, on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC. Reuters
Mr Barr’s memorandum on Monday acknowledged justice department guidelines stipulate “that overt investigative steps ordinarily should not be taken until the election in question has been concluded, its results certified, and all recounts and election contests concluded".
But he said this was not “a hard and fast rule, and case-specific determinations and judgments must be made".
Mr Barr’s request came shortly after he met Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell on Monday.
Mr McConnell on Monday declined to acknowledge Mr Biden as the president-elect, instead backing Mr Trump’s mostly failed lawsuits against the election results.
The Trump campaign and its allies filed lawsuits last week intended to stop the count of mostly postal ballots.
And while the lawsuits have largely failed to advance and the ballot counting has continued, Mr Trump’s lawyers have threatened to increase their litigation.
The Trump campaign is also calling for ballot recounts in states including Georgia, where no clear winner has yet to emerge because of a razor-thin vote margin as the count continues.
The campaign also hopes to start a recount in Wisconsin, which Mr Biden won by more than 20,000 votes.
But even if Mr Trump were to win Georgia and Wisconsin, he would not have enough votes in the electoral college for a second term in the White House.
His refusal to concede the election has also delayed the already compressed timeline to transition between new administrations.
US General Services Administration chief Emily Murphy has not signed the paperwork needed to start the taxpayer-funded transition process, despite Mr Biden’s victory.
Mr Biden has already moved ahead with his transition planning, announcing a Covid-19 taskforce on Monday and giving more details of his strategy to fight the pandemic.
The refusal of Mr Trump and his Cabinet to concede the election has not stopped world leaders from rushing to congratulate Mr Biden on his victory.
UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson, Irish Taoiseach Micheal Martin, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Emmanuel Macron all called Mr Biden to congratulate him on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo declared Mr Trump the winner of the election.
“There will be a smooth transition to a second Trump administration,” Mr Pompeo said when asked if he would work with Mr Biden’s transition team
