Donald Trump’s months-long effort to overturn his defeat in the 2020 election culminated on a single, now-infamous day: Jan. 6.
This is a companion discussion topic for the original entry at https://talkingpointsmemo.com/?p=1480338
This is a companion discussion topic for the original entry at https://talkingpointsmemo.com/?p=1480338
Good job TPMers!
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For all those of you who clamor for bragging rights for being first to comment, I’m sorry that it means nothing to me. Meh.
If I could pass it on to someone else, I would, but evidently everyone is in the comments for the Morning Memo. Oh, well…
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I’m reminded of Grassley’s statement on January 5th that he didn’t expect Pence to preside over the count. Has Chuck ever really answered questions about how seriously this coup idea was discussed between congressional Republicans?
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"“excellent summary of the end game.” "
I feel like I’ve heard something about that before…
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Outstanding reporting, and that sidebar info about BadgerPundit was 
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Pence, per the plan Chesebro proposed, would do what he ultimately refused to do: assert that he had the power to both open and count the votes, and could choose which states not to count — in this case, any state for which the Trump campaign had organized a slate of fake electors. From there, Pence could “force hearings in the States.” (Chesebro did not explain in the documents obtained by TPM how this might work). With time running out in the days before Jan. 20, “the state legislatures would have to appoint electors if they wanted to be counted and avoid the election being thrown to the House,” Chesebro wrote, adding, “if Nancy then refused to hold a vote, Senate would reelect Pence Vice President, and he would become acting president on Jan 20.”
Now it’s making more sense. The pitch to Pence was “help us coup and we’ll make you ‘Acting President’ while we wait for the SCOTUS to install Trump by fiat.”
If there is only one good thing Pence has ever done, it was refusing to become a co-conspirator with this obviously fanciful plan.
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This plan was so desperate and idiotic you really have to wonder how a Harvard educated lawyer could cook up such a ridiculous scheme. It just goes to show that, when enough people are deluded by group-think, intelligence is no defense.
It also probably didn’t help that everyone in Trump’s inner circle was terrified of him and desperate to appease him in any way possible.
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“Through delay or chaos they were setting up a constitutional crisis,” said David Becker, a former DOJ attorney who now works on election security with local officials at the Center for Election Innovation and Research.
2000: Brooks Brothers Riot
2020: Brooks Brothers(*) Reichstag Fire
*: That’s the planners; the actual participants were more Cabela’s than Brooks.
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I’m doubting that anyone has asked the questions.
The entire congressional organization (or lack of it) has never been challenged on any of this. As I originally understood things, this was possibly due to Liz Cheney, which, if true, makes her a little less of a hero in the J6 hearings.
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‘Sort of unauthorized’
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Hopefully these findings can make it to the wider public.
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Has Smith talked to Grassley? Can he? Should he?
Inquiring minds want to know.
ETA. That old fart is neck deep in the shit of overthrowing the election.
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Let’s see: which party controlled the Senate and the House on January 6?
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I continue to wonder whether any Congress people are vulnerable to prosecution for sedition. Perhaps it would revolve around whether or not the claims of voter fraud could in any universe be taken as serious. The must be a level (perhaps not) of uncredibility at which any amount of noise still has no probative value for forcing hearings. Reps and Senators who actively connived in this process ought to be barred from office as seditionists.
Excellent work, Josh K and TPM team!
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This scheme was so hare-brained that I’m only surprised it was not dreamed up by a Yale lawyer.
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Mitch McConnell held a 50-49 majority in the Senate. Warnock was not certified and sworn in until January 20, nor did the incoming tiebreaker assume office before that same date.
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The press has been too busy promoting the notion that Biden is old to worry about quizzing elected officials about attempting to overthrow the government.
In any sane country, Chuck would be in a military prison, right now.
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Grassley has not been reported to be among any of the congressional conspirators, and absolutely everyone knew there was drama over Mike Pence and the electoral vote count. I suspect someone just clued him in that he might end up presiding if Pence bowed out. Dog only knows what Grassley would have done if that happened, but there’s been no evidence that he was ever read into any of the proposed shenanigans.
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Uh, nah…we know precisely what he would have done. He is who we think he is.
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