How Trump Planned to Overthrow the Election
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Charlie Sykes
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Lordy, there was a memo.
Simultaneously audacious and absurd, the document laid out a scheme to have Donald Trump declared the winner of the presidential election on January 6.
And the former president loved it.
Here's the six-point plan that prominent conservative lawyer John Eastman sketched out for the Trumpian coup:
In today's Bulwark, Philip Rotner describes the scenario by which Mike Pence and the GOP would overturn the 2020 election. It was, he writes, "an exquisitely Trumpian plan."
Pence should lie.Then he should leverage his lie in order to take the election out of the hands of American voters through the exercise of an authority he doesn't have under the Constitution.
Eastman's alleged plan is laid out in a two-page memo marked "PRIVILEGED AND CONFIDENTIAL." According to CNN and the Washington Post , which published it on Monday, the memo was sent on January 2 to Republican Sen. Mike Lee of Utah, who was "shocked" by what he saw.
"Shocked," but evidently not shocked enough to actually say anything in public.
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All of this is beyond parody. But it was no joke.
"This 'plan' is laughable, but we shouldn't laugh," notes David French. "If carried out, it would have led to the country's greatest political crisis since April 1861. And Eastman was no mere internet crank. He was a law professor and close to POTUS in the final days."
In case this hasn't sunk in quite yet, the former president was all-in on the attempt to overthrow the election.
The plan was first proposed to Pence when Eastman was with Trump in the Oval Office on January 4, during one of Trump's attempts to convince Pence that he had the authority to stop the certification of the election. "You really need to listen to John. He's a respected constitutional scholar. Hear him out," Trump said to Pence at that meeting, Woodward and Costa write in "Peril."
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Here are several things to keep in mind:
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First, Eastman's plan to overturn the presidential election involved throwing out the electoral votes of seven states, effectively disenfranchising tens of millions of voters.
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Those votes would have been nullified on January 6 — without any evidence at all that that the results were bogus in any way. In Eastman's scenario, there was no need to wait for more court cases, or "forensic audits."
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Pence would either use his (non-existent) power to gavel Trump's re-election, or a lockstep GOP House would muscle him back into office. A third option was to have state legislatures nullify their state's popular votes.
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But it all turned on Mike Pence, who refused to play along. Trump's rage was transferred to the mob. It was not a random coincidence that protesters chanted "Hang Mike Pence" as they stormed the Capitol.
Some quick takes:
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It is always risky to delve into the mind of the Orange God King, but it seems increasingly likely that the former president woke up on the morning of January 6 believing that he would, in fact, be reinstated as president.
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Trump green-lit the coup as he hectored Pence to execute an Eastman-like maneuver, and thought that he and his mob might pressure both the VP and congressional Republicans into going along.
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The violent attack on the Capitol was both (1) part of Trump's conspiracy to hold onto power, and (2) a spasm of anger at his failure to get Pence to go along with the scheme.
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To Trump's intense disappointment, congressional Republicans did not fully embrace the plot.
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But…
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Trump is in the process of creating and reshaping a GOP that just might go along in the future.
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It is a disgrace that this has not been the main story in all national news broadcasts since it came out yesterday morning.
Based on the book PERIL, this is a smoking gun of Trump's traitorous behavior.
Eastman proposed disenfranchising tens of millions of American voters, and Trump signed off on it and wanted Pence to go along.
Perhaps because most people realize it is past history and has absolutely no fucking relevance today?
The book came out YESTERDAY.
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It is still a book about past history. I don't care if it came out tomorrow.
It is a shame that we still have to put up with this crap all the time in the name of "free speech". You are harassing people with this nonsensical line of argument. LESS THAN A WEEK AGO Trump asked the Secretary Of State of Georgia to overturn the election results there and declare him the winner of that state. This is an ONGOING story. Trump is guaranteeing that it is.
If it can be proved that there was criminal intent in all of this then it is still fucking relevant.
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As James Comey once said, you can't prove intent. And if that is the case, why would they wait for the book to come out prior to pursuing it IF they do? Books aren't written in a day so there was knowledge prior to this................. and I am not whining. FYI.
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What do you mean you can't prove intent? You can't convict unless you have intent
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If only you could be the final arbiter of what is worthy of "free speech" and what is not.
I mean, that makes perfect sense right?
Unfortunately I have to abide by the COC as best I can, or else I would be going off on you right now, with great enthusiasm I might add.
Intent? Eastman met with Trump in the fucking oval office to discuss his plan to have Trump reinstated as president. Trump approved of the plan. We know that because he told Pence to listen to what Eastman had to say. Trump would have pissed his pants with joy if Pence had followed this plan.
Trumps "intent" was to stay in office no matter how.
"I've been crushing dimbulbs who underestimate my intelligence for about 50 years now."
Says the 'stats man' who never provides proof of anything.
Dream on!
I get your point. And you are correct. And I stand corrected. To you and TG both. However, I must inject this at this time. "What difference – at this point, what difference does it make?". It was an ill advised idiot plan at best and was not and could not be carried out in any way shape or form. Can you lock people up for stupid? Then in this case do so and throw away the key. Happy?
"What difference – at this point, what difference does it make?"
All the attorneys behind this nonsense - Powell, Lin, whoever, should be disbarred.
Link?
This from the guy who just posted a seed whining about Hillary Clinton...
It's horrible to see how easily our government could be overthrown. It's also pathetic that these people feel that they can destroy the country to get their way.
The article is right, "If carried out, it would have led to the country's greatest political crisis since April 1861...."
Past history?
I'm sure that's how most of the supporters of this steaming pile of shit feel about his incitement and spurring on of his mob on the 1/6/21 attempted 'It's a Revolution'! 'Storm the Capitol' failed coup.
Yes past history. Did it happen yesterday or 20 minutes from now? No. Months ago. PAST HISTORY
“Your honor, while dna evidence has recently and conclusively identified my client as the guilty party, the crime is past history, so I move to dismiss the charges.”
Sounds like a Rudy G. defense.
What was he charged with? Not a damned thing NOR can or will he be. He approved of SOMEONE ELSE'S PLAN. Give it up. He's history FFS. Seems there is only one member here who wants to keep him alive and relevant and it defies the logic that said member would like to be associated with.
Is that what you were saying through the countless Benghazi hearings? I doubt it. Your statute of limitations on all things Trump is pretty telling on what motivates your politics.
If you dont stop harassing people with nonsense I am going to report it.
Donald Trump appears in the media complaining about the election a couple times every week now, sometimes more. He is having rallies. He is making plans to stay as the leader of the Republican Party. He is running for president. OF COURSE he is a current issue and not a historical figure.
I didn't give a rat's ass about that witch hunt either. In the words or her hubby, there was no there there.
Note the date Jim:
I like that one. Do you think it could work?
I heard the stupidity the first time and the second time . . . .
"Perhaps because most people realize it is past history and has absolutely no fucking relevance today?"
Of course it has relevance today. See comment 1 and 2. I'll refresh your memory: "Eastman proposed disenfranchising tens of millions of American voters, and Trump signed off on it and wanted Pence to go along."
How in Hell does anyone still support that monster?
Another day another left wing conspiracy theory about Trump.
One would almost think they were trying to deflect attention away from the human fuck up machine they installed in the WH.
But Trruuummmmppppp!!!!! Concentrate on the hot mess occupying the WH now for a change!
It is not a conspiracy theory. Bob Woodward obtained the memo, which was sent to Sen. Mike Lee by Eastman. We can assume that Lee passed it on to Woodward.
If this memo had been made up by Woodward, you can bet your ass that Eastman and Trump would have been hollering holy hell yesterday.
What was the date on the memo?
I dont know the date, but I'll find it for you if it is that important to you.
I believe it was something like Jan 2.
No need if that is the case. Past history with no ramifications today or even then. There was no way the procedure wouldn't be followed. Anyone back then that thought it would work is a walking, talking, fucking moron.
It doesnt matter if it was stupid. Trump wanted it done.
Which made him the most stupid of the bunch.
Gee, the letter to Raffensperger was dated 17 Sept 2021... I guess Trump is still attempting to alter the election, both personally and through proxies (ref. Arizona election audit).
Nope, you've got it ass backwards, as usual!
Ronin2 wrote: "One would almost think they were trying to deflect attention away from the human fuck up machine they installed in the WH."
That's exactly right...and it's not working
Don't worry. The thinking non-partisan part of the electorate can follow along with both the past and present cluster fucks.
In case you have not noticed, presently articles about Biden's "hot mess" far outnumber articles about Trump's "hot mess". As long as Trump keeps inserting himself in the news (he understands the power of being the dirty pig), he will be an item of discussion. Tell him to shut up if you wish him to disappear ... good luck on that, not a day goes by without him trying to be a frontpage boy.
For all you 'past history' buffs, it did not start in 1776 and end in 2016.
In case YOU didn't notice, Biden is POTUS right now and not Trump.
And it's always nice to get US history lessons from our little brother to the North.
Thx little brother but no worries. We still got this.
I hear you loud and clear though trumpturd supporters clearly do not.
Seems the only ones paying attention to him are the liberal/dem/liv voters. The rest of the people I know don't give him a moment's notice. Why is that do you suppose? Let me help you. Most of us let go of it long ago. He's old news right now and won't become relevant until 2023 or later. Easy. He has NO bearing on what is happening now in the US or anywhere else. Why the fuck hang on?
I did not give you a US history lesson, I gave you a lesson about history. Ignore it at your own peril.
Like always i consider the source ..... considering that, i'll stay the course i've been on for over 60 years.
No lessons required from you that's for sure .....
Yes, yes, it's a WaPo article ... however:
I'd rather talk with Just Jim ... he's sane. Scat!
Lol ... sophomoric insults ...... SOSDD considering.
The folks who are paying attention are the good and decent folks that want to see Justice served.