Trump’s potential power grab

Trump has been a conspiracy theorist and authoritarian. This isn't new. It shouldn't surprise anyone in the administration. I agree they should be alarmed.
— Harris Levy (@HarrisL585) December 19, 2020

Why is the headline here not: TRUMP RAISES POSSIBILITY OF MILITARY COUP? https://t.co/b8U4EXXXQR
— Charlie Sykes (@SykesCharlie) December 19, 2020

Rudy Giuliani called Ken Cuccinelli, second in command at the Department of Homeland Security, on Thursday night and asked him whether DHS could seize voting machines, a source familiar with the call confirmed to Axios. https://t.co/dX9U9CCbpw
— Axios (@axios) December 19, 2020

“Advisers fret that Trump ‘is spending too much time with people they consider crackpots or conspiracy theorists…’ It’s apparently well and good for Trump to spend some time with crackpots and conspiracy theorists – just not too much time.” https://t.co/hA8Io3rIMn
— Bill Kristol (@BillKristol) December 19, 2020

The Texas lawsuit is garbage

Trump and 106 Republicans in the House support it. They won’t accept that Trump lost. It’s frightening. The majority of Republicans will never accept that Biden won. This is doing permanent damage.

There will be more voter suppression to prevent the fraud that didn’t happen.

A longshot, Trump-supported lawsuit from Texas is asking SCOTUS for an emergency order to invalidate the ballots of millions of voters in four battleground states — Georgia, Wisconsin, Michigan and Pennsylvania — despite no evidence of widespread fraud. https://t.co/dGs7ym3qtF
— CNN (@CNN) December 10, 2020

Trump supports ‘garbage’ TX lawsuit asking the Supreme Court to invalidate millions of votes @GloriaBorger @RonBrownstein discuss pic.twitter.com/P22h2SJA5I
— The Lead CNN (@TheLeadCNN) December 10, 2020

More than half of the House Republican caucus now says they support Trump's latest undemocratic attempt to overturn the 2020 election @kaitlancollins reports pic.twitter.com/fvOjuPy1l2
— The Lead CNN (@TheLeadCNN) December 10, 2020

"Seditious abuse of the process." Damn right. https://t.co/iGfu3Cpj2y
— Tom Nichols (@RadioFreeTom) December 10, 2020

More than half of the caucus. We're in trouble. https://t.co/qSArLZidVv
— Brendan Nyhan (@BrendanNyhan) December 10, 2020

Here are current GOP House members plotted by how conservative their district is (horizontal) and how conservative their voting behavior is (vertical). Amicus brief signers (in red) are only slightly more conservative on both scales. pic.twitter.com/uRoOexbTiH
— Seth Masket (@smotus) December 10, 2020

thank you Senator Cornyn. there is no legal theory and the conservative majority Supreme Court will reject it out of hand. https://t.co/3UTDsrlWyC
— Jeb Bush (@JebBush) December 10, 2020

Today, a number of my colleagues will be filing an amicus brief in support of the lawsuit filed by the State of Texas regarding the election results of several other states. Respectfully, I will not join because I believe the case itself represents a dangerous violation… (1/5)
— Chip Roy (@chiproytx) December 10, 2020

Ohio's GOP AG tells Supreme Court his state opposes Texas' election suit — says it would violate Constitution's electors clause for a federal court to change election rules adopted by state legislature. (That position was widely held by conservatives until a few weeks ago.) pic.twitter.com/yTgkx1Lsoc
— Greg Stohr (@GregStohr) December 10, 2020

BREAKING: Today, I joined 22 other attorneys general in filing a brief with the United States Supreme Court opposing Texas’ radical, anti-democratic lawsuit. This suit seeks to overturn the will of the people by throwing out the votes of tens of millions Americans. 1/
— Josh Stein (@JoshStein_) December 10, 2020

GOP superlawyer Ben Ginsburg: "I don't think the Supreme Court, for an instant, will consider taking up this case. What it shows you, I think… is that how far the Republican party has sort of corroded in basic beliefs under Donald Trump in this area." https://t.co/C0ufmzJjTz
— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) December 10, 2020

I'm still seeing a lot of concern about the Texas Supreme Court filing, which is understandable. From a certain angle, it looks imposing.

So here, in sum, is why there's no need for alarm (thread):
— Elie Honig (@eliehonig) December 10, 2020

This is not a serious legal case or argument, writes @CillizzaCNN. It "isn't about winning a legal fight. It's about preserving political strength." | Analysis https://t.co/CEHZEAkrew
— CNN (@CNN) December 10, 2020

READ: Brief from 106 Republicans backing Texas' Supreme Court lawsuit seeking to overturn President Trump's defeat in four battleground states https://t.co/cEuxlFuw2n pic.twitter.com/u3mQxv71Ze
— CNN Politics (@CNNPolitics) December 10, 2020

Think people are underrating the possibility that the SCOTUS takes up this case, and holds that the original intent is that state legislatures DO have plenary authority over allocation of electors. That doesn’t overturn this election but sets the stage for a future GOP takeover. https://t.co/WBf4SALrIt
— Will Stancil (@whstancil) December 10, 2020

Good point – Republicans may be trying to have legislatures appoint electors in the future

Biden will have the White House cleaned before he moves in

Good idea! It’s a covid hotspot. I wouldn’t go there now.

Before the Bidens move in, the White House will first undergo a Covid-19 cleansing, top to bottom, from East Wing to West Wing. The total for the amplified White House inauguration deep clean right now hovers near a half-million dollars https://t.co/Er02VjNCZe
— CNN Politics (@CNNPolitics) January 12, 2021

Expect a White House deep clean when Joe Biden moves in https://t.co/Hl3foyGWxH pic.twitter.com/CFVE0p9Tin
— CNN Politics (@CNNPolitics) December 10, 2020

There have been over 40 COVID-19 cases in Donald Trump’s circle, so Joe Biden's team plans to “thoroughly clean and disinfect” all the surfaces in the White House before moving in. https://t.co/f0kv8qn0C3
— The Daily Beast (@thedailybeast) December 10, 2020

That includes plans to "thoroughly clean and disinfect" all furniture, doorknobs, handrails and light switches, before Biden and his team move in.

A private contractor will provide "disinfectant misting services" to clear the air of lingering droplets. https://t.co/j7Fr7vLPSM
— Jonathan Lemire (@JonLemire) December 10, 2020

Perdue’s shady financial dealings

New: Georgia Senator David Perdue sold his home last year, in a private deal, to an official whose organization had business before his committee.https://t.co/cQzJ139g2V
— Robert Faturechi (@RobertFaturechi) December 10, 2020

New: @sendavidperdue sold up to $165,000 in shares of a casino company that later shuttered and made an investment in a company that manufactures personal protective equipment on the same day he attended his first classified pandemic briefing. https://t.co/sKCmo1KJSu
— Mark Elliott (@markmobility) December 2, 2020

Sen. David Perdue owned up to $250,000 in FireEye stock when he promoted the company’s reports to the Senate’s cybersecurity committee, says reports https://t.co/WKlBW8INbl
— The Daily Beast (@thedailybeast) December 2, 2020

This is wild! "An examination of Mr. Perdue’s stock trading during his six years in office reveals that he has been the Senate’s most prolific stock trader by far, sometimes reporting 20 or more transactions in a single day." https://t.co/NRMNxAUMQk
— Chris Hayes (@chrislhayes) December 2, 2020

Salon: David Perdue traded bank stock while passing pro-bank legislation on the Senate Banking Cmte.

From 2017 to 2020, Perdue co-sponsored 14 bills benefitting the financial industry. He also accepted $1+ mil in contributions from financial interests.https://t.co/iqNePvw4FN
— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) November 28, 2020

'Investigators found that Cardlytics’ chief executive at the time, Scott Grimes, sent Mr. Perdue a personal email two days before the senator’s stock sale that made a vague mention of “upcoming changes.” 'https://t.co/J3LdJDJ9K1
— Trip Gabriel (@tripgabriel) November 25, 2020

Let’s put it bluntly. Sen. Perdue’s campaign lied to reporters for weeks/months by insisting he had no input on his stock sales. The Times report shows he clearly didhttps://t.co/wYZthfybaV

Via @sambrodey
— Sam Stein (@samstein) November 25, 2020

"A series of swift transactions in his portfolio told a different story, however, showing the senator dumped some company stocks, while investing in others — like protective equipment maker DuPont & pharmaceutical company Pfizer — that were poised to do well during the pandemic" https://t.co/smOQh8kFJH
— Ronald Brownstein (@RonBrownstein) November 25, 2020

Sen. David Perdue, one of two Republicans facing a runoff election in Georgia, began buying large amounts of ultimately profitable shares in a Navy contractor just before taking over as chair of a Senate subcommittee that oversees the Navy fleet. https://t.co/vDBQzb4SIn
— The New York Times (@nytimes) November 19, 2020

Trump’s unhinged supporters

He’s just inciting them like he has in the past

As Trump rails against his election loss, his supporters become more threatening https://t.co/NVb2ragPYt pic.twitter.com/mM1Zr4MuE6
— Yahoo News (@YahooNews) December 9, 2020

“If I would say to you, ‘I don’t want to do it,’” she said about signing the letter, “I’d get my house bombed tonight.” https://t.co/fS9UMX1T6j
— Charles P. Pierce (@CharlesPPierce) December 9, 2020

"If Trump can keep exerting influence over the GOP, one can envision him — and the Republicans carrying his mantle — seeking to maintain among supporters a kind of permanent state of warfare against the legitimacy of our institutions." – @ThePlumLineGS https://t.co/9vr4hqm2H3
— Niskanen Center (@NiskanenCenter) December 9, 2020

Georgia voter suppression

Republicans have cut the number of Early Voting sites in Georgia’s Cobb County in half — primarily removing sites in minority neighborhoods.

Cobb County has over half a million voters and went for Biden by 14 points in November.

This is what actual election stealing looks like.
— Nate Lerner (@NathanLerner) December 9, 2020

Georgia Just Can’t Quit Trying to Suppress the Vote, Reduces Early Voting Locations by Half in 3rd Largest County https://t.co/tlKjZ1YYW7 via @Yahoo
— Don Winslow (@donwinslow) December 9, 2020

Election officials in Cobb County, Georgia, the state's third most populous county, are planning to open fewer than half the early voting locations for the Senate runoff elections in January.

The county swung heavily to Democrats in the general election. https://t.co/owB6tzHGhu
— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) December 8, 2020

Georgia Activists Are Primed to Fight GOP Voter Suppression Tactics In State's Runoff https://t.co/cYelDP5WR2
— LaTosha Brown (@MsLaToshaBrown) December 8, 2020

Voter suppression, in GA

The GOP never learns. 4 of 10 most populated areas are reducing the number of polling locations

Black & Latino areas

They increased our motivation to vote & make sure our friends vote#wtpBLUE #wtpBiden #DemVoice1 #FreshSenate https://t.co/07xR9kev6E
— Maggie-Mae 🌊🌊 💛 (@Sbh08Mae) December 8, 2020

Back to normal in Georgia. Closing polling places in those areas with high numbers of African Americans and most likely to vote Democratic. Will the Republican “heroes” who stood up to Trump stand up for democracy here? No. This is what they do. This is who they are. https://t.co/fJ5ANGGlsX
— Eric Holder (@EricHolder) December 8, 2020

Only 24% of Republicans think the 2020 election are accurate

This is terrible. Trump will never concede and his cult will always think he won and Biden is illegitimate.

CNN exit poll in Georgia: About 3/4 of Republican voters say the presidential election in GA was not conducted fairly; more than 9 in 10 Democrats say election was fair
— Manu Raju (@mkraju) January 5, 2021

Do you trust that the results of the 2020 election are accurate via NPR/PBS/Marist poll:

Democrats:
95% yes, accurate
3% no, not accurate

Republicans:
24% yes, accurate
72% no, not accurate
— Ryan Struyk (@ryanstruyk) December 9, 2020

Do you believe there was widespread voter fraud in the 2020 presidential election, or not?

Believe there was 38%
Do not 58%

(Quinnipiac U. Poll, RV, 12/1-7/20)
— PollingReport.com (@pollreport) December 10, 2020

No evidence of widespread voter fraud

What this shows is not how divided we are but rather how a sizable part of the population has sheared off completely. https://t.co/51JZNQmA58
— Lulu (@lourdesgnavarro) December 9, 2020

“Democrats say 98 – 2 percent they think Biden's election victory is legitimate and independents say 62 – 30 percent his victory is legitimate. Republicans, however, say 70 – 23 percent that they think Biden's victory is not legitimate.” https://t.co/uxJ09ea1ry
— Max Boot (@MaxBoot) December 10, 2020

Do you think that Joe Biden's victory in the 2020 presidential election is legitimate or not legitimate?

Legitimate 60%
Not legitimate 34%

(Quinnipiac U. Poll, RV, 12/1-7/20)
— PollingReport.com (@pollreport) December 10, 2020

Do you believe the presidential election was stolen from Donald Trump via Fox News poll:

Biden voters:
8% yes, stolen
91% no, not stolen

Trump voters:
77% yes, stolen
11% no, not stolen
— Ryan Struyk (@ryanstruyk) December 15, 2020

Is Joe Biden the legitimate winner of the 2020 presidential election via new CBS/YouGov poll:

Biden voters:
100% yes, legitimate
0% no, not legitimate

Trump voters:
18% yes, legitimate
82% no, not legitimate
— Ryan Struyk (@ryanstruyk) December 13, 2020

CBS poll

OHIO
Which candidate do you think was the legitimate winner of the 2020 presidential election?

Democrats
Joe Biden 100%
Donald Trump 0%

Republicans
Joe Biden 21%
Donald Trump 69%

(Spectrum News/Siena College Poll, LV, 9/18-22/22)
— PollingReport.com (@pollreport) September 27, 2022

Trump campaign spending at Trump properties

“Trump campaign committees spent $1.1 million at Trump properties in the last days of his losing campaign….Trump has converted $6.7 million from his campaign donors into revenue for his businesses.”
⁦@washingtonpost⁩ https://t.co/DBNL5qH11E
— EJ Dionne (@EJDionne) December 4, 2020

A fundraising committee affiliated with Trump’s 2020 campaign spent a huge amount of money at the president’s businesses in the final days of the campaign, according to The Washington Post https://t.co/4je17VruCr
— The Daily Beast (@thedailybeast) December 4, 2020

JUST POSTED: So just why did Ivanka Trump spend five hours last week answering questions under oath about payments in 2017 to Trump hotel in DC? We take a deep look at the legal fight, as Trump hotel continues to be a center of family cash & controversies https://t.co/6uQayfW9NC
— Eric Lipton (@EricLiptonNYT) December 7, 2020

Trump only wants to disqualify votes in counties that voted for Democrats

“I think they’re trying to take our votes away,” said Milwaukee pastor Mose Fuller. “I personally think they are destroying the whole concept of what democracy is all about. It’s an unpatriotic and un-American thing that they’re trying to do."https://t.co/pUDDMLPhRH
— Patrick Marley (@patrickdmarley) November 28, 2020

Trump’s racist attacks on Black voters

Mr. Trump’s fruitless and pyromaniacal campaign to reverse President-elect Biden’s victory rests on the wholesale disenfranchisement of 100s of thousands, a disproportionate number of them Black Americans living in the urban centers of Ga. Pa. Wisc. & Mi. https://t.co/dw5qo1aBsy
— jimrutenberg (@jimrutenberg) November 23, 2020

https://twitter.com/jmsummers/status/1331370976974680064?s=20

As Trump tries to get votes in majority Black communities thrown out, Black leaders, political analysts & historians are crying foul at what they described as tactics reminiscent of those used to suppress the voice of Black voters following the Civil War. https://t.co/OF23d8ODrW
— Yamiche Alcindor (@Yamiche) November 21, 2020

“President Trump appears determined to end this stage of his political career the same way he began it: by promoting a racist conspiracy theory.” Birtherism then; voter fraud in heavily Black cities now. My take. https://t.co/8pWO8jH9I7
— Ronald Brownstein (@RonBrownstein) November 24, 2020

“It’s not just about the outcome,” Sherrilyn Ifill says of NAACP lawsuit alleging the Trump campaign worked to disenfranchise Black voters. “It’s about the full citizenship of Black people, the right to participate in the political process.” https://t.co/qdQaYkoXUg
— MS NOW (@MSNOWNews) November 24, 2020

“By spreading baseless charges of fraud in heavily Black areas, Republicans are laying the groundwork to make it harder to vote for these communities in the future.” @AriBerman @MotherJones https://t.co/BMfw0AifTV
— Rev. Dr. William J. Barber II (@RevDrBarber) November 22, 2020