Timeline
Upon the Edge of a Knife
Trump's GOP has fully embraced a right wing, anti-democrat movement that threatens to seize power and reshape America.
With election deniers potentially taking over Congress and the Supreme Court poised to overturn millions of Americans' voting rights, this election is upon the edge of a knife. At the same time, far-right extremists are agitating for violence and another civil war.
DOJ Expands Trump Investigation
The Department of Justice issued 40 subpoenas and seized phones of Trump's former staff in a growing investigation of the January 6 Insurrection.
Trump's legal problems keeping getting worse. Recent actions by the DOJ show a larger than expected criminal investigation of Trump's failed coup to overturn the 2020 election. The National Archives is unsure if Trump is still withholding national documents. And now the Senate Judiciary Committee has launched a probe into reports that Trump pressured federal prosecutors investigate his political opponents.
Riots in the Streets
Trump and his allies have resorted to threats of mob violence in a desperate attempt to avoid criminal prosecution.
Trump is facing multiple criminal investigations including obstruction of justice, mishandling classified documents, attempts to overturn the 2020 election, and financial fraud. In an attempt to avoid accountability, Trump and his allies are summoning the MAGA Mob. On Fox News, Lindsey Graham threatened that if Donald Trump is prosecuted,"there’ll be riots in the streets.”
Justice Without Fear or Favor
Trump and his close allies are being investigated by the Department of Justice's criminal probe into the January 6 Insurrection and his attempts to stop the peaceful transfer of power.
Department of Justice prosecutors are questioning witnesses with first hand knowledge about "fake electors" and conversations with Trump and his close advisors. Attorney General Merrick Garland called the criminal probe “the most wide-ranging investigation in its history.” Responding to questions about charging Trump with crimes, Garland said that "no person is above the law" and that he would “pursue justice without fear or favor.”
Gasoline on the Fire
For 187 minutes Donald Trump watched his supporters attack the Capitol—and did nothing.
The January 6th Committee hearing showed that the attack on the Capitol was part of Trump’s criminal conspiracy to overturn the election using violence. White House counsel Pat Cipollene, testified that everyone inside the White House wanted Trump to call off the attack. Deputy press secretary Sarah Matthews said that Trump’s tweet blaming Mike Pence was “giving the green light” to violent rioters who “latch on to every word and every tweet” and that it was “pouring gasoline on the fire.”
Every Crime Imaginable
Trump and his inner circle is facing multiple federal and state criminal probes about efforts to overturn the 2020 elections and his fraudulent business practices.
Team Trump is trying to dodge legal responsibility by evading subpoenas with delays, but time may be running out. The latest round of subpoenas includes Lindsey Graham and Rudy Giuliani as part of a criminal investigation of election interference. Former Trump White House Council Pat Cipollone has agreed to testify before the January 6th Committee this Friday. Cipollone reportedly expressed concerns that, "We're going to get charges of every crime imaginable."
A Knife's Edge
Trump pressured Vice President Pence to aid his criminal conspiracy to overturn the election.
The January 6 Committee revealed how Trump KNEW his plan to overturn the election was illegal and still tried to pressure Mike Pence to violate the law. When the Vice President refused, Trump sent an angry mob to "Hang Mike Pence" and disrupt the electoral vote count. Retired Judge J. Michael Luttig testified at the hearing that Trump and his supporters "are a clear and present danger" and that American democracy is on “a knife’s edge.”
Trump's Seven-Part Conspiracy
January 6 Committee: "President Trump oversaw a sophisticated seven-part plan to overturn the 2020 election and prevent the transition of presidential power."
The January 6 Committee presented damaging evidence with insider testimony on how Trump and his allies knowingly lied about election fraud and engaged in a criminal conspiracy to overturn the election. Liz Cheney, said Trump, "summoned the mob, assembled the mob and lit the flame of this attack." Cheney also blamed her "Republican colleagues who are defending the indefensible: There will come a day when Donald Trump is gone, but your dishonor will remain."
Proud Boys Charged with Sedition
The Oath Keepers were first, now the Proud Boys are facing the same charges of seditious conspiracy.
The Proud Boys, including their leader Enrique Tarrio, have been indicted on charges of sedition. This has major implications for the Jan. 6 investigation as seditious conspiracy is notoriously hard to charge and difficult to prove, especially considering that this is the "second time the Justice Department has brought the serious charge following the attack." These charges uncover the fact that the violence perpetrated was not a result of things getting out of control but actually part of the plan.
Trump's Red Army
Rightwing lies and conspiracy theories are radicalizing the GOP base in order to build an "Army" of volunteers ready to disrupt future elections.
Multiple criminal investigations into Trump's failed coup and a growing body of evidence debunking right wing conspiracy theories have not slowed down the radicalization of the GOP. Trump loyalists are building the institutions to overturn future elections by intimidating and suppressing Democratic voters.
Everything Everywhere All at Once
Donald Trump is obsessed with his election defeat and is making the 2022 midterm elections a loyalty test for Trump and the Big Lie.
Trump is campaigning for the 2022 midterm elections pushing his conspiracy theories, white supremacy and the Big Lie of election fraud. Trump is out for revenge against the "sick, sinister and evil people" he blames for his loss. He even blames the invasion of Ukraine on a "rigged election." For Donald Trump and his supporters, the Big Lie is Everything Everywhere All at Once.
Trump's Ongoing Coup
Unable to accept his election defeat, Trump is still pressuring elected officials to overturn the 2020 election.
There is a growing mountain of evidence that Trump and his allies engaged in criminal conspiracy to overturn the 2020 election. However, despite multiple ongoing civil and criminal investigations related to January 6, including the Justice Department and the House Committee, Trump and his allies are still pressuring state legislatures to decertify the 2020 election.
"It Was a Coup"
A federal Judge wrote in his ruling that it is "more likely than not that President Trump corruptly attempted to obstruct the Joint Session of Congress on January 6, 2021.”
U.S. District Court Judge David O. Carter in his ruling stated that "if the country does not commit to investigating and pursuing accountability for those responsible, the Court fears January 6 will repeat itself." The judge further added that "Dr. Eastman and President Trump launched a campaign to overturn a democratic election, an action unprecedented in American history. Their campaign was not confined to the ivory tower—it was a coup in search of a legal theory.”
"Release the Kraken"
Ginni Thomas attended Trump’s “Stop the Steal” rally on Jan. 6 and conspired with Trump’s inner circle to overturn the election results.
Ginni Thomas, wife of conservative Supreme Court Justice Thomas, exchanged 29 text messages with Trump's Chief of Staff Mark Meadows in an attempt to overturn the 2020 election. Thomas is known for her work with ultra conservative Christian-right activists. Her messages to Meadows echoed bizarre rightwing conspiracy theories of a holy crusade and urged him to overturn the election: “Make a plan. Release the Kraken.”
Trump's "Criminal Conspiracy"
The January 6 Committee presented evidence of Trump's "criminal conspiracy" to overturn the 2020 presidential election.
Attorneys for the House detail in a court filing their evidence of how Trump and his inner circle “engaged in criminal and/or fraudulent acts” including spreading false information about the 2020 election, illegally pressuring state officials, and “pressuring the Vice President to violate his duty to count the electoral certificates presented from certain States.”
Trump Sides Against America Again
On Wednesday, Trump sided with Putin and dismissed Biden on a conservative radio talkshow.
The former president has always had a history of praising dictators, especially Vladimir Putin. Once again, Trump and several well known right-wingers praised Putin in a bid to belittle Biden and insert his Big Lie into the narrative of a fake president's failed political positions, saying "what went wrong was a rigged election and what went wrong is a candidate that shouldn't be there and a man that has no concept of what he's doing." This interview also showcased Trump's obvious authoritarian tendencies, unable to stop showering Putin with praises such as "genius", "savvy", "great charm", etc.
Giuliani "Expected" to Testify
Members of the January 6 Committee have confirmed that Rudy Giuliani is in talks to testify about Trump's attempt to overturn the 2020 election.
Guiliani would be a vital part of the investigation as he was among the top Trump advisors that schemed to use fake electors in contested states as well as to use Homeland Security in order to seize voting machines. Guiliani was subpoenaed along with other lawyers that described themselves as an "elite strike force" who filed lawsuits on behalf of Trump which was filled with conspiracies and unsubstantiated claims of fraud during the election. The Committee is on the right track as former White House staffers like Sarah Matthews, who resigned over Jan. 6, have been interviewed by the panel in addition to a subpoenas being given to top aides the likes of Peter Navarro.
Trump's Dangerous Conspiracy Theories
Trump embracing rightwing conspiracy theories to overturn the election has resulted in a dangerous rise in rightwing extremism.
In a desperate attempt to overturn the election, Trump and his allies publicly repeated unproven conspiracy theories that undermined trust in our democracy. Now rightwing extremists, conspiracy theorists, and militia groups are mobilizing to restore Trump to power in a movement that is a direct threat to American multi-racial democracy.
Trump Admits to Attempted Coup
Trump said in a prepared statement that Vice President Mike Pence should have “overturned” the election and, at a Texas rally, offered pardons to January 6 rioters.
As Trump's legal problems continue to mount, he is turning to his supporters to save him by doubling down on election lies, conspiracy theories and threats of vengeance. Trump is now offering pardons to Capitol rioters and is complaining that Pence should have overturned the election. In response, GOP Rep. Adam Kinzinger is calling on Republicans to “pick a side” between Trump or the Constitution.
BIGGEST BOMBSHELL YET
Last Friday Politico first released the bombshell news that Trump, with the help of his inner circle, planned to not only institute pro-Trump electors, but also to use the military in order to seize voting machines after the election.
A draft executive order by the Trump administration was released to the Jan. 6 Committee which details instructions for the defense secretary to "seize, collect, retain and analyze all machines, equipment, electronically stored information, and material records required for retention under.” This order would have been the culmination of Trump and his supporter's espousal of the Big Lie. Ironically, the electoral fraud that the Big Lie warns about was actually planned by Trump's inner circle, with Rudy Guiliani leading a plot to certify and seat pro-Trump electors in the contested states of Pennsylvania, Georgia, Arizona, Wisconsin, Nevada and New Mexico.