incited an insurrection at the US Capitol?

On January 6, 2020, the US Senate was scheduled to certify Electoral College votes, cementing Joe Biden’s victory over Trump. The routine process takes approximately half an hour to complete. Instead, it was interrupted by a mob that overtook the Capitol itself, incited by months of unproven allegations of mass voter fraud.

US Capitol in the evening of January 6, 2021

After months of fraud allegations and over 60 failed lawsuits, Trump delivered a speech on the morning of the 6th in which he refused to  concede and promised to join his supporters in a march on the Capitol.

Rudy Giuliani, head of Trump’s legal team, also demanded “trial by combat.”

In the afternoon, Trump supporters began marching to “Stop the Steal.” A noose was erected outside Capitol grounds.

Image: Noose at U.S. Capitol
Andrew Caballero-Reynolds / AFP – Getty Images

Protesters approached the Capitol, breaking through barriers and attacking media present, destroying their equipment.

Even as the protests around the Capitol escalated into riots, Trump fomented his supporters’ anger via Twitter, reiterating past claims that Pence could overturn the Electoral College results. The tweets were removed and his account suspended. Facebook soon followed with a suspension of their own.

Meanwhile, Trump supporters clashed with police and overran the Capitol grounds. In one instance, they replaced the US flag with a Trump flag.

As the violence escalated with police outside, Trump’s supporters breached the building itself, smashing windows and breaking through the main door. Instigated by Trump’s remarks about Pence’s unwillingness to overturn the election, they chanted “hang Mike Pence.”

Congress was evacuated in the middle of their session and taken to a secure location.

While the legislature was evacuated, guards were in an armed standoff at the entrance of the House chamber.

Capitol police ceded most of the building. Trump’s supporters’ occupation marked the first time since the War of 1812 that the Capitol had been seized by a hostile force. Offices were ransacked, while people recorded themselves going through computers and documents. One man was photographed shortly before 2PM,  shouting that Trump had won the election in the House chamber. Two hours later another was photographed parading a Confederate battle flag through the halls.

Pipe bombs were also discovered, though none detonated. The FBI offered a $50,000 reward for information on the suspect.

Police were eventually able to clear the Capitol, and the city of Washington DC instituted a 6PM curfew. By the end of the night, over 50 officers were injured, with over 60 arrests. A woman attempting to forcibly gain access to a barricaded area was shot and killed. She was later identified as an Air Force veteran of 14 years and a QAnon supporter. Over the course of the day, three others died, attributed to medical emergencies; one was reportedly the result of a man accidentally tazing himself and subsequently suffering a heart attack. That evening, Capitol officer Brian D. Sicknick succumbed to injuries sustained during the riots.

Once the Capitol was secured, the Senate resumed the certification of electoral college votes. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell denounced any further intervention in the election results by Congress, saying “it would damage our republic forever.”

While Mitt Romney accused Trump of inciting the riots and Linsdey Graham forcefully asserted that Biden was the lawful winner of the election, not all Senate Republicans agreed. Matt Gaetz baselessly alleged that the rioters were actually Antifa agent provocateurs.

An objection to certifying Georgia’s election results was dismissed after Senators withdrew support because of the day’s events.

Ultimately, at near 4AM, the process concluded and Pence announced that Biden was in fact the winner, and would be the next President of the United States.

A playlist of chronological videos, including many created by those inside the Capitol, can be found at Youtube – Remember45 | Capitol Riots

The New York Times – Mob Attack, Incited by Trump, Delays Election Certification
USA Today – Pence affirms Biden as winner, formalizing electoral count after day of riots at Capitol; Trump prepares for exit
Fox News – Biden’s Electoral College victory certified — hours after Capitol chaos
PBS NewsHour – Objections to Georgia results fail without senators’ support
NPR – 4 Dead, Police Injured, Dozens Arrested After Siege At The U.S. Capitol
CNBC – More than 50 police officers were hurt at pro-Trump riot at the Capitol that also killed 4
USA Today – DC riots live updates: Trump condemned, police defend actions, city stunned after violent Capitol siege
Snopes – Does Video Show Capitol Police Opening Gates for Rioters?
KUSI News – KUSI News confirms identity of woman shot and killed inside US Capitol
Revolt – Man died at U.S. Capitol after accidentally tasering himself and having a heart attack
SFGate – A QAnon promoter stormed the Capitol. Now, he’s upset people are saying he’s ‘antifa’
WTOP News – FBI offering up to $50K for information on DNC and RNC pipe bombs
USCP.gov – Loss of USCP Officer Brian D. Sicknick
Youtube – Remember45 | Capitol Riots

said to “get rid of the ballots,” refusing to agree to peaceful transferal of power?

During a White House press conference on September 23, Trump deflected from a question on whether he would accept the outcome of the election.

SPEAKER: ..Do you commit to making sure that there’s a peaceful transferal of power?

 

TRUMP: We want to have… Get rid of the ballots and we’ll have a very peaceful… There won’t be a transfer frankly, there’ll be a continuation. The ballots are out of control. You know it, and you know who knows it better than anybody else? The Democrats know it better than anybody else.

Even up to the election itself, he refused to confirm that he would accept any outcome other than his own victory.

Forbes – Trump Won’t Commit To Peaceful Power Transfer, Says ‘Get Rid Of The Ballots’ For ‘Continuation’ Of His Presidency
NBC News – Trump on peaceful transition if he loses: ‘Get rid of the ballots’ and ‘there won’t be a transfer’
Rev – White House Press Briefing, September 23, Transcript

wrongly said Vice President Pence could overturn election results?

Two months after Trump lost the 2020 election and dozens of failed lawsuits, he asserted Vice President Pence’s power to reject election results. The tweet came one day before Pence oversaw the certification of Electoral College votes.

Pence had reportedly already explained to Trump that he does not have the power to change election results. The Constitution’s 12 Amendment states on the Vice President’s role as President of the Senate:

The President of the Senate shall, in the presence of the Senate and House of Representatives, open all the certificates and the votes shall then be counted; — The person having the greatest number of votes for President, shall be the President, if such number be a majority of the whole number of Electors appointed;

Amid the Capitol riots the following day on January 6, 2021, Trump tweeted about Pence’s refusal to break the bounds of his Constitutional role. It was removed by Twitter shortly after.

Pence defies Trump, says he can't reject electoral votes | Election Headquarters | khq.com

The New York Times – Trump Says Pence Can Overturn His Loss in Congress. That’s Not How It Works.
The New York Times – Pence Said to Have Told Trump He Lacks Power to Change Election Result
Forbes – Trump Claims Pence ‘Has The Power’ To Toss Out Biden’s Electoral Votes (He Doesn’t)
Constitution.org – Election of President and Vice President

claimed mass fraud after losing the 2020 election?

On the evening of Election Day on November 3, 2020, Trump announced victory. However, over the next four days, Biden pulled ahead in several battleground states until his victory was announced on November 7. The Trump campaign launched a series of lawsuits alleging mass fraud across the nation.

The Claims

Rudy Giuliani, Trump’s lead lawyer, held a press conference at Four Seasons to highlight claims of fraud and their upcoming legal battles. The primary assertion was that fraud likely took place because of an influx of mail-in ballot votes, and a supposed lack of access by the Republican poll watchers for oversight in vote counting. Giuliani claimed that there had also been thousands of votes from deceased that were improperly counted.

The conference became notable for its location at Four Seasons Landscaping, and for taking place during the announcement that Biden had won. Situated next to a sex shop and crematorium, it was suspected that the location was booked in error, and was intended to be at a Four Seasons hotel. At the time the press conference was taking place, Trump was playing golf. It was then that Biden was announced the winner:

In another press conference on November 19, Giuliani reiterated his claims about fraud and the lack of adequate oversight from poll watchers, referencing the film My Cousin Vinny to make his case.

During the conference, Sidney Powell, another senior Trump lawyer, announced suits in Georgia and Michigan against Dominion, which provided substantial voting infrastructure across the country. Powell also alleged a global communist conspiracy behind the fraud. She was soon after dismissed from the legal team.

The lawsuits asserted a variety of claims. Examples included:

  • Mail-in ballots that hadn’t been accurately signed and marked on the outside
  • Mail-in ballots not in their original envelopes
  • Non-uniform curing, or fixing of ballot mistakes, being unconstitutional
  • State guidances on mail-in voting
  • Multiple votes from the same individuals
  • More votes than the voting population of the corresponding district
  • Higher rates of machines rejections for Republican ballots
  • “Over votes” from the use of Sharpies and its bleed through the paper

The Results

Trump’s legal team sought to delay or prevent certification of election results in the battleground states of Pennsylvania, Georgia, Michigan, Wisconsin, Arizona, and Nevada. Certification is the legal process by which states officially submit their results, with deadlines defined by state law.

None of the suits were allowed to prevent certification. The one victory the Trump team achieved – the exclusion of votes in Pennsylvania which were too few to have any influence – was reversed by the state’s Supreme Court. In another instance, the Trump legal team spent $3 million for a recount in a Wisconsin county, only for more Biden votes to be discovered.

By the time a month had passed from the election, with 10 cases still pending, the Trump campaign had won zero out of 32 suits. While the campaign pledged more, the judges’ opinions on many of the dismissed suits – including by judges appointing by Trump – gave clear pictures of how little basis the suits had. One Michigan judge deemed the provided proof as “inadmissible hearsay within hearsay.” A Georgia judge said another suit “would breed confusion and disenfranchisement.” A Pennsylvania judge said of yet another suit, “This claim, like Frankenstein’s Monster, has been haphazardly stitched together.”

Transition & Certification

For three weeks after the election, the administration refused to begin the transition process to the President-elect. However, on November 24, head of the General Services Administration Emily W. Murphy confirmed that she would approve the formal transition process, freeing federal money and allowing security briefings for the Biden team.

On December 1, Attorney General Bill Barr said if there was fraud, there wasn’t enough to change the results of the election. This marked a notable shift for Barr, who had provided Trump legal cover through the Mueller investigation and impeachment over Ukrainian quid-pro-quo. Others who had contradicted Trump’s claims of voter fraud, including the head of the organization responsible for election security, were fired.

By the time a month had passed from the election, all of the battleground states in question had been certified.

The Tweetstorm

Over the course of the month following the election, Trump tweeted dozens of unfounded claims about mass fraud, all flagged by Twitter. While the following are examples of claims about victory, poll observers, fake news, rigging, and individual states, each were reiterated by Trump several times on Twitter.

The Claims
Business Insider – Dominion Voting Systems tore into Sidney Powell’s lawsuit accusing it of a vast conspiracy, calling it ‘baseless, senseless, physically impossible’
Politico – Trump campaign cuts Sidney Powell from president’s legal team
The Results
Business Insider – Trump spent $3 million for a vote recount in Wisconsin’s largest county to support his baseless claim of ballot fraud but lost by even more than initially thought
The New York Times – Trump Is Not Doing Well With His Election Lawsuits. Here’s a Rundown.
Business Insider – Trump and his allies have won zero out at least 32 lawsuits they’ve filed since Election Day
The New York Times – Over 30 Trump Campaign Lawsuits Have Failed. Some Rulings Are Scathing.
Transition & Certification
Associated Press – Disputing Trump, Barr says no widespread election fraud
Associated Press – Trump fires agency head who vouched for 2020 vote security
The New York Times – Trump Administration Approves Start of Formal Transition to Biden
CNN – How election certification works and why it matters more than ever this year
NBC News – Trump administration officially authorizes Biden transition
The Washington Post – Wisconsin and Arizona make it official as Trump fails to stop vote certification in all six states where he contested his defeat
Business Insider – All major battleground states in the 2020 election officially certify their results, cementing Biden’s victory in the presidential race
The Twitterstorm
Trump Twitter Archive V2

fired the head of election security for contradicting claims on mass fraud?

Two weeks after the 2020 election, head of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) Chris Krebs was fired by Trump for contradicting the President’s claims of mass fraud.

Chris Krebs official photo.jpg
Christopher Krebs, former Director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency. Wikipedia

CISA, an organization created by legislation signed by Trump, sought to ensure the integrity of the election, and after announced it to be among the most secure in American history. It also sought to dispel rumors and conspiracy theories directly on its website’s “rumor control” page. Many of these had been spread by Trump himself, who attacked Krebs on Twitter.

On the day of his ousting, head of the CISA Chris Krebs also noted on Twitter that such claims were in every case “unsubstantiated or are technically incoherent,” and said of his agency, “we did it right.”

Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency – #Protect2020 Rumor vs. Reality
Associated Press – Trump fires agency head who vouched for 2020 vote security
PBS News Hour – Trump’s firing of top election security official unsettles lawmakers
BBC News – Trump fires election security official who contradicted him
Wikipedia – Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency
Wikipedia – Chris Krebs

lost the 2020 election?

Initial results on election day showed states too close to call in Georgia, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Wisconsin, and Arizona. As mail-in votes were tallied across the next three days, all eventually were called for Joe Biden, solidifying his victory over Trump.

The final electoral college result were 306-232, exactly the margin Trump won by in 2016.

While Clinton had some 3 million more votes than Trump in 2016, Biden secured nearly 7 million more. Still, polls ahead of the election had indicated that Biden was on track to obtain an even larger victory.

2020 Electoral College results. Wikipedia

Biden announced his victory in a speech on the evening of November 7.

Trump refused to concede, and for the following month, claimed mass fraud while his legal teams filed lawsuits across multiple battleground states, without success.

Wikipedia – 2020 United States presidential election
The New York Times – Biden Wins Presidency, Ending Four Tumultuous Years Under Trump
Associated Press – EXPLAINER: Why AP called the 2020 election for Joe Biden

tried to prematurely claim victory in the 2020 election?

In the late hours of Election Day, Trump claimed victory and announced a series of litigation.

Trump also took to Twitter as ballots were being counted, claiming that the election was being stolen

Trump went on to “hereby claim” Michigan, which was won by opponent Biden.

Two days after the election, Trump reiterated his claims about mass fraud in a conference, while litigation his campaign advanced in swing states of Georgia and Michigan had already been thrown out.

On November 7, Biden’s victory was announced. For the following month, Trump’s legal team engaged in dozens of lawsuits while he flooded Twitter with claims of fraud and victory.

Reuters – Trump campaign loses lawsuit seeking to halt Michigan vote count
US News & World Report – Trump Campaign Loses Legal Fights in Georgia and Michigan, Vows Nevada Lawsuit

repeatedly used Russian propaganda in his campaign ads?

In one instance, a Trump advertisement saying to support the troops used footage of Russian jets.

In another, Trump’s campaign used footage from Russian factories and Ukrainian companies.

During the Republican National Convention, in another video railing against riots in US cities after the death of George Floyd at the hands of police, footage was used from protests in Spain.

Person running near a fire set in the streets of Barcelona in 2019.
A screenshot from an RNC video about US protests was actually footage from Spain

Another advertisement featured a Philadelphia woman and her business. She says she was misled by the filmmakers and only learned about it being used for a political advertisement when she saw it on television.

Similarly, Dr. Fauci said his words were used out of context and without permission in another advertisement.

Other advertisements also used stock footage and misleading content, including boxes labelled “MADE IN USA” and championing job growth while showing footage of an Illinois steel plant that had laid off hundreds of workers.

Politico – Trump ad asks people to support the troops. But it uses a picture of Russian jets. 
The Guardian – Trump election ad uses stock military image ‘featuring Russian fighter jets’
Politico – Another pro-Trump ad uses footage from Russia
Buzzfeed News – RNC Video Showing Rioters In “Biden’s America” Is Actually Spain
The Philadelphia Inquirer – Haddon Heights market unwillingly stars in Trump campaign ad
The Daily Beast – Trump Campaign Uses Russian Footage in Ad—Again

said he might leave the country if he lost the election?

Trump make the remarks at an October, 16 2020 rally in Macon, Georgia.

Running against the worst candidate in the history of presidential politics puts pressure on me.

 

Could you imagine if I lose? My whole life, what am I gonna do? I’m gonna say I lost to the worst candidate in the history of politics. I’m not gonna feel so good. Maybe I’ll have to leave the country, I don’t know.”

The Hill – Trump on if Biden wins: ‘Maybe I’ll have to leave the country’
Newsweek – Trump Says Losing to Biden Would Mean ‘Maybe I’ll Have to Leave the Country’

was endorsed by the Taliban?

On October 9, 2020, Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid said, “Trump might be ridiculous for the rest of the world, but he is sane and wise man for the Taliban.”

Mujahid explained their support: “We hope he will win the election and wind up U.S. military presence in Afghanistan. When we heard about Trump being COVID-19 positive, we got worried for his health, but seems he is getting better.”

Two days prior to the endorsement, Trump tweeted that all remaining US personnel in Afghanistan should be home by Christmas.

In the year, Trump spoke with Taliban leaders and announced peace talks, but the agreement soon after scrapped.

The day after the Taliban’s endorsement, a Trump campaign spokesman rejected.

Axios – Trump campaign rejects Taliban’s endorsement for U.S. president
The Hill – Taliban supports Trump reelection
CBS News – The Taliban on Trump: “We hope he will win the election” and withdraw U.S. troops
Politico – Trump confirms ‘very good talk’ with Taliban leaders

More assuredly to come soon

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