The Eastman Memo, the coup memo

cytg111

Lifer
Mar 17, 2008
26,162
15,586
136
Think this deserves its own thread as it is a story in its own right and it lines up exactly what we saw Trump doing up till and on January 6th.
Eastman, a “lawyer” on team Trump wrote this up on how to overturn the election.

Take note of point number 6. This is where Pence decided to call Dan Quayle to get advice instead of “just doing it”.

One phone call guys, and whatever motivated Pence more that day.


point 6: (if twitter wont show the whole gif)
“The main thing here is that Pence should do this without asking for permission – either from a vote of the joint session or from the Court. Let the other side challenge his actions in court, where Tribe (who in 2001 conceded the President of the Senate might be in charge of counting the votes) and others who would press a lawsuit would have their past position -- that these are non-justiciable political questions – thrown back at them, to get the lawsuit dismissed. The fact is that the Constitution assigns this power to the Vice President as the ultimate arbiter. We should take all of our actions with that in mind.”

Scary effen stuff… Yea, we already knew, but now we *know*.

Why are people not screaming over this memo? McConnell should have a comment given his stand off with the O.
 
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UNCjigga

Lifer
Dec 12, 2000
25,569
10,249
136
Wait…the Dan Quayle call was real? I thought that was a punchline to some dumb joke. So Quayle actually saved the Republic? Wow.
 

zinfamous

No Lifer
Jul 12, 2006
111,856
31,345
146
Think this deserves its own thread as it is a story in its own right and it lines up exactly what we saw Trump doing up till and on January 6th.
Eastman, a “lawyer” on team Trump wrote this up on how to overturn the election.

Take note of point number 6. This is where Pence decided to call Dan Quayle to get advice instead of “just doing it”.

One phone call guys, and whatever motivated Pence more that day.


point 6: (if twitter wont show the whole gif)
“The main thing here is that Pence should do this without asking for permission – either from a vote of the joint session or from the Court. Let the other side challenge his actions in court, where Tribe (who in 2001 conceded the President of the Senate might be in charge of counting the votes) and others who would press a lawsuit would have their past position -- that these are non-justiciable political questions – thrown back at them, to get the lawsuit dismissed. The fact is that the Constitution assigns this power to the Vice President as the ultimate arbiter. We should take all of our actions with that in mind.”

Scary effen stuff… Yea, we already knew, but now we *know*.

Why are people not screaming over this memo? McConnell should have a comment given his stand off with the O.

The absurdity of this claim that, somehow, the constitution provides for "The Vice President to be arbiter of the EC votes" ignores the factual history of presidential elections: Tickets didn't start until what, presidency #12 or so? Up to that point, the VP was pretty much always a rival of the President, and of course beyond that, you still have VPs running for president, that would have this bizarre, non-existent power to just decide that they won the presidency "because."

Damn, why the fuck didn't Al Gore think of that?

How is it that Republicans are really this fucking stupid? I just don't get it. It's like, when you walk in to a room full of republicans, how do you determine which is the dumbest one in the room? Is that even possible?
 

ivwshane

Lifer
May 15, 2000
33,511
17,007
136
The absurdity of this claim that, somehow, the constitution provides for "The Vice President to be arbiter of the EC votes" ignores the factual history of presidential elections: Tickets didn't start until what, presidency #12 or so? Up to that point, the VP was pretty much always a rival of the President, and of course beyond that, you still have VPs running for president, that would have this bizarre, non-existent power to just decide that they won the presidency "because."

Damn, why the fuck didn't Al Gore think of that?

How is it that Republicans are really this fucking stupid? I just don't get it. It's like, when you walk in to a room full of republicans, how do you determine which is the dumbest one in the room? Is that even possible?

The dumbest republican in the room is usually the loudest. Prove me wrong.
 

cytg111

Lifer
Mar 17, 2008
26,162
15,586
136
The absurdity of this claim that, somehow, the constitution provides for "The Vice President to be arbiter of the EC votes" ignores the factual history of presidential elections: Tickets didn't start until what, presidency #12 or so? Up to that point, the VP was pretty much always a rival of the President, and of course beyond that, you still have VPs running for president, that would have this bizarre, non-existent power to just decide that they won the presidency "because."

Damn, why the fuck didn't Al Gore think of that?

How is it that Republicans are really this fucking stupid? I just don't get it. It's like, when you walk in to a room full of republicans, how do you determine which is the dumbest one in the room? Is that even possible?

Indeed. I guess that is why point 6 was so important. Just do it. Then fake till you make it.
I know its absurd. I can also see it happening. Working even. I mean, who is gonna stop them?
 
Feb 4, 2009
35,862
17,403
136
Fuck can we just move to popular vote and end all this backend drama.
Currently does anyone doubt a State will invalidate its EC votes because “reasons” and ignore the voice of the voters or because their guy didn't win so may as well...
 
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HomerJS

Lifer
Feb 6, 2002
39,302
32,812
136
Think this deserves its own thread as it is a story in its own right and it lines up exactly what we saw Trump doing up till and on January 6th.
Eastman, a “lawyer” on team Trump wrote this up on how to overturn the election.

Take note of point number 6. This is where Pence decided to call Dan Quayle to get advice instead of “just doing it”.

One phone call guys, and whatever motivated Pence more that day.


point 6: (if twitter wont show the whole gif)
“The main thing here is that Pence should do this without asking for permission – either from a vote of the joint session or from the Court. Let the other side challenge his actions in court, where Tribe (who in 2001 conceded the President of the Senate might be in charge of counting the votes) and others who would press a lawsuit would have their past position -- that these are non-justiciable political questions – thrown back at them, to get the lawsuit dismissed. The fact is that the Constitution assigns this power to the Vice President as the ultimate arbiter. We should take all of our actions with that in mind.”

Scary effen stuff… Yea, we already knew, but now we *know*.

Why are people not screaming over this memo? McConnell should have a comment given his stand off with the O.
but....but....Milley
 

fskimospy

Elite Member
Mar 10, 2006
87,935
55,288
136
The absurdity of this claim that, somehow, the constitution provides for "The Vice President to be arbiter of the EC votes" ignores the factual history of presidential elections: Tickets didn't start until what, presidency #12 or so? Up to that point, the VP was pretty much always a rival of the President, and of course beyond that, you still have VPs running for president, that would have this bizarre, non-existent power to just decide that they won the presidency "because."

Damn, why the fuck didn't Al Gore think of that?

How is it that Republicans are really this fucking stupid? I just don't get it. It's like, when you walk in to a room full of republicans, how do you determine which is the dumbest one in the room? Is that even possible?
They aren't stupid, they are dangerous. The purpose of this argument was not to win in court, it was to give cover to a coup. As others mentioned the last point gives away the game, saying that you seize power and then have them try to fight you in court later. Of course by the time they fight you in court it's too late.

It should be mentioned that the guy who wrote this was not some fringe kook, but a prominent conservative law professor who is very well regarded in right wing circles.
 

K1052

Elite Member
Aug 21, 2003
52,613
46,276
136
They aren't stupid, they are dangerous. The purpose of this argument was not to win in court, it was to give cover to a coup. As others mentioned the last point gives away the game, saying that you seize power and then have them try to fight you in court later. Of course by the time they fight you in court it's too late.

It should be mentioned that the guy who wrote this was not some fringe kook, but a prominent conservative law professor who is very well regarded in right wing circles.

Also the conviction that openly stealing an election Trump publicly and decisively lost would just result in just a court fight instead of a crisis not seen since secession seems kind of optimistic.
 
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fskimospy

Elite Member
Mar 10, 2006
87,935
55,288
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And for next time someone tries to claim that the Federalist Society is just some group that really cares about the Constitution here's their page lauding the guy who wrote a memo about how to overthrow democracy:

 

Zorba

Lifer
Oct 22, 1999
15,613
11,255
136
The absurdity of this claim that, somehow, the constitution provides for "The Vice President to be arbiter of the EC votes" ignores the factual history of presidential elections: Tickets didn't start until what, presidency #12 or so? Up to that point, the VP was pretty much always a rival of the President, and of course beyond that, you still have VPs running for president, that would have this bizarre, non-existent power to just decide that they won the presidency "because."

Damn, why the fuck didn't Al Gore think of that?

How is it that Republicans are really this fucking stupid? I just don't get it. It's like, when you walk in to a room full of republicans, how do you determine which is the dumbest one in the room? Is that even possible?
They know they are full of shit, they just also know they could get away with it.
 
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woolfe9998

Lifer
Apr 8, 2013
16,242
14,243
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Plan one little tiny coup and the left cancels you for it...


LOL he writes a memo saying that the VP can unliterally overturn the official vote counts of several states, even after several recounts have been done, and hand the presidency over to the sitting president. And he thinks the criticism is because of liberal bias in academia? If he did this for Obama, he says, they'd throw him a "ticker tape parade." Guess what. It would never have happened under Obama in the first place. Which is exactly the point.

I'd call him a clown, but I think that description under-estimates just how dishonest he is being. He's no idiot, which makes this far, far worse.
 

fskimospy

Elite Member
Mar 10, 2006
87,935
55,288
136
LOL he writes a memo saying that the VP can unliterally overturn the official vote counts of several states, even after several recounts have been done, and hand the presidency over to the sitting president. And he thinks the criticism is because of liberal bias in academia? If he did this for Obama, he says, they'd throw him a "ticker tape parade." Guess what. It would never have happened under Obama in the first place. Which is exactly the point.

I'd call him a clown, but I think that description under-estimates just how dishonest he is being. He's no idiot, which makes this far, far worse.
And as the clip below your post shows his claims that the memo wasn't serious or that he didn't believe it or whatever are lies.
 

hal2kilo

Lifer
Feb 24, 2009
26,029
12,270
136
And as the clip below your post shows his claims that the memo wasn't serious or that he didn't believe it or whatever are lies.
Racheal Maddow had a big section of her show dedicated to this clown giving it up last night. She was pissed because the previous Friday she quoted him saying the "you'd have to be crazy to believe it". She took it as a sign things might not be as bad as they seemed. She got burned so she put it out there.

Eastman Memo author reverses his reversal on anti-election pitch (msnbc.com)
 
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Homerboy

Lifer
Mar 1, 2000
30,890
5,001
126
How is it that Republicans are really this fucking stupid? I just don't get it. It's like, when you walk in to a room full of republicans, how do you determine which is the dumbest one in the room? Is that even possible?

They aren't this "stupid". They just know they can get away with it.