Trump’s lawyer offered Pence a six-point plan to overturn election: book

A lawyer who has worked with alumni President TrumpDonald Trump Trump shoots new GOP candidate in Ohio over Cleveland dubbed GOP political agents indicted for illegal campaign contribution by Russian national in 2016The legal team tried to convince the then vice president Mike penceMichael (Mike) Richard PencePoll: Trump dominates 2024 Republican primary field Poll: Biden, Trump statistically tied in favor of Capitol fencing begins to fall after ‘Justice for J6’ rally MORE that he could overturn the 2020 presidential election results and provided him with a six-step plan, according to a new book by reporters Bob Woodward and Robert Costa.

CNN, citing a memo originally obtained by the authors of the book, reported that attorney John Eastman first proposed the plan to Pence on Jan.4 in the Oval Office with Trump. The memo called for rejecting election results in seven states under the false claim that those states used substitute voters.

The Conservative lawyer also reportedly proposed that Pence could declare Trump the winner of the election after the votes were eliminated.

In the book “Peril”, which comes out Tuesday, Woodward and Costa write that Eastman’s note was sent to Sen. Mike leeMichael (Mike) Shumway LeeGraham found Trump’s electoral fraud arguments appropriate for ‘third year’: Woodward book Economy adds only 235,000 jobs in August as delta hammers growth Lawmakers inundated with appeals for help on the exit from Afghanistan MORE (R-Utah) and the former mayor of New York Rudy GiulianiRudy Giuliani Roger Stone was sued over Capitol Riots in radio interview FEC finds Twitter did not break the law by blocking the broadcast of Hunter Biden Juan Williams story : Trump’s toxic legacy of corruption MORE (R), who was one of Trump’s attorneys at the time, tried to convince Sen. Lindsey grahamLindsey Olin Graham Rep. Tim Ryan becomes final landmark COVID-19 case in Congress Graham found Trump’s electoral fraud arguments appropriate for ‘third year’: Woodward’s book Senate MP rejects Democrats’ immigration plan MORE (RS.C.) that there had been widespread fraud in the 2020 elections.

Graham and Lee both allegedly argued that the fraud allegations were unfounded.

“You might as well make your case to Queen Elizabeth II. Congress can’t do that. You are wasting your time,” Lee told Trump’s lawyers, according to the book, CNN reported.

The Hill has contacted Lee and Graham’s offices for comment, in addition to soliciting comments from Eastman.

CNN reported that Eastman told the Washington Post that his two-page memo “explored all of the options that had been offered.”

Other details of Eastman’s plan have reportedly included an argument that Pence could deny that either candidate had achieved 270 votes in the Electoral College if Democratic lawmakers began to oppose efforts to overthrow the Electoral College. elections. In this scenario, according to Eastman’s plan, the House would then decide on the election. Since Republicans controlled 26 state delegations at the time, a majority vote for Trump would have won him the election, Eastman proposed, according to the authors.

“You really have to listen to John,” Trump told Pence of the plan, according to the book. “He’s a respected constitutional scholar. Listen to him.”

Eastman also reportedly suggested that Pence should take action without giving Congress a warning.

“The bottom line here is for Pence to do this without asking permission – either from a joint session or court vote, ”Eastman wrote in the memo, according to CNN. “The point is that the Constitution attributes this power to the Vice President as the ultimate arbiter. We must take all of our actions with this in mind. “

Eastman’s note could become a point of interest for the House committee investigating the Jan.6 attack on the Capitol, CNN noted.