An attorney who used to work for former President Donald Trump tried to convince former Vice President Mike Pence to overturn the 2020 election results using a six-step plan, according to a new book by Washington Post journalists Bob Woodward and Robert Costa. .
In the book “Danger,” conservative attorney John Eastman reportedly sent a two-page memo that outlined various steps Pence could take to reverse the January 6 election, the day the US Congress was scheduled to be held. .confirm the votes of the Electoral College.
Under Eastman’s alleged plan, Pence would declare that there were competing voters in seven states, leading him to discard Electoral College votes in those states, the memo said, a copy of which was obtained by CNN.
Pence would later declare Trump the winner of the election, with 232 votes in the Electoral College compared to 222 for Joe Biden.
“In the end, he announces that due to ongoing disputes in the 7 states, there are no voters who can be considered validly appointed in those states. That means the total number of ‘nominated voters’ – the language of the 12th Amendment – is 454, “the third step in the memorandum read.
“A ‘majority of the appointed electors’ would therefore be 228. There are at this point 232 votes for Trump, 222 votes for Biden. Pence then nails President Trump as re-elected. “
The proposal was first delivered to Pence on January 4, when Trump tried to convince the then-vice president that he had the authority to override the election.
“You really need to listen to John. He is a respected constitutional scholar. Listen to him, ”Trump told Pence, according to CNN.
However, Pence refused to intervene, arguing that he did not have the authority beyond counting the votes.
On January 6, just hours before the riots in the US Capitol, Pence again told Trump that the Constitution did not allow him to override the election results, prompting the former president to maintain his friendship as hostage. the authors wrote in the book.
“No, no, no!” Trump yelled. “You don’t understand, Mike. You can do this. I don’t want to be your friend anymore if you don’t do this. ”
The note could be of interest to the House Select Committee that is in charge of investigating the events that led to the insurrection.
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