08-04-2023, 10:24 PM
So I've read the 1/6 Indictment now and think maybe its discussion deserves a thread separate from the other indictments.
https://www.justice.gov/storage/US_v_Trump_23_cr_257.pdf
Overview: It appears that central to Trump's efforts to overturn the legal 2020 election was the creation of a Fox-style alternative narrative* about fraud to counter the official one created by states and their official ballot counters, and by the DOJ. I.e., create buzz and confusion and Tucker style questions about "what they aren't telling us"--then exploit the confusion in hopes of defrauding Americans of a legal election result.
This Alt-narrative was pushed not only in his tweets and television appearances, but especially through pressure on individual Republican governors, state officials and legislators in seven states. It included the construction of fake lists of electors, but also getting the fake electors to sign on under false pretenses. E.g., some thought their list/names would only be used in the event their own state courts ruled in favor of a Trump win. But the plan was to throw them before Pence on 1/6 and get Republican Congressmen to object to certification until states could verify which lists were valid, hopefully throwing the election to the House.
It also included pressure on the DOJ to announce, against its own findings, that there were many questions/problems with the election.
And finally, the calling of a mass of supporters to the Capitol on 1/6 to pressure the unwilling Pence to de-certify ballots from 7 states.
Once you understand the narrative target, the Indictment becomes an easy read, tightly focused on the Alt-N elements.
It identifies Trump, reaffirms his right to free speech, even to lie about election fraud, but draws the line at criminal activity. It then states the charges--conspiracy to defraud the U.S., conspiracy to obstruct certification, obstruction thereof, and conspiracy to defraud voters of their voting rights--lists 6 co-conspirators, and 1) presents efforts to corrupt election results in the primary states involved, beginning with Arizona. In each case Trump and minions pushed governors and state senate majority leaders and house speakers for announcements of corruption or "problems" and declarations the election was invalid. To a man they refused. Trump was repeatedly told no fraud was found, and then repeatedly tweeted and otherwise announced that it was. 2) The "Green Bay Sweep" follows from the failure of direct influence. The "fake electors" plot develops rapidly and draws at least 90 people into the fraud. Some knew it was fraud, a few were defrauded themselves (as mentioned above.).
Following that, the Indictment goes to 3) Trump's direct attempts to leverage the Justice Department into falsely claiming it has discovered "problems" with the election. E.g., it would involve itself in the fraudulent elector scheme, sending disinformation to each of the states in question. The final ploy was to have the DOJ declare the election fraudulent. When the acting director refused to, Trump wanted to appoint "coconspirator 4" (Gates) AG, but stopped only when he learned that would result in mass resignations. When CC4 was told the plan would have people rioting in every state, his response was "that's what the Insurrection Act is for." I.e., Trump would be declared winner and the military would put down any resistance.
The final two sections treat with the third leg of the fraud stool--4) efforts to coerce Pence into willingly de-certifying the election, and 5) the Capitol riot as a means of pressuring Pence and other lawmakers into de-certification.
Fox has been busy working up a Trump supportive alternative narrative too, in its initial stages a defense of Trump's free speech and claims no one will ever prove that that he didn't believe the election wasn't stolen. ("Wait till Trump gets to call his own witnesses!" lol) The goal is to prevent Trump from running again, etc. They may be underestimating the evidence and misreading Smith's angle of attack. E.g., if Trump receives a report from his own chief of staff that Cobb County Georgia elections are legitimate, and his response is to tweet that "terrible people" there are perpetuating fraud there, a jury might be little interested in whether Trump believed there was fraud or not--and think he was clearly perpetrating it himself.'
Anyway I am curious about what others think of the details of the indictment and the developing Fox alternative-narratives. (And I apolgize in advance for errors and omissions in the above summary.)
I'm thinking that as the charges are examined in court, the percentage of people who think the indictment serious and valid will rise. But I don't underestimate the power of alternative narratives. They've got half the country more interested in HB's laptop than in an attempt to overturn democracy.
*Alternative narratives of this sort resonate with and support one another. If you follow the Alt-N that the Russia investigation was a "hoax," as were the impeachments of Trump, then it is very easy to "see" how the deep state and liberal media and Venezuela could also upend a legitimate election, in deathly fear of the only incorruptible president who could actually "drain the swamp." The Trump "hate" trope separates investigation from fact throughout.
https://www.justice.gov/storage/US_v_Trump_23_cr_257.pdf
Overview: It appears that central to Trump's efforts to overturn the legal 2020 election was the creation of a Fox-style alternative narrative* about fraud to counter the official one created by states and their official ballot counters, and by the DOJ. I.e., create buzz and confusion and Tucker style questions about "what they aren't telling us"--then exploit the confusion in hopes of defrauding Americans of a legal election result.
This Alt-narrative was pushed not only in his tweets and television appearances, but especially through pressure on individual Republican governors, state officials and legislators in seven states. It included the construction of fake lists of electors, but also getting the fake electors to sign on under false pretenses. E.g., some thought their list/names would only be used in the event their own state courts ruled in favor of a Trump win. But the plan was to throw them before Pence on 1/6 and get Republican Congressmen to object to certification until states could verify which lists were valid, hopefully throwing the election to the House.
It also included pressure on the DOJ to announce, against its own findings, that there were many questions/problems with the election.
And finally, the calling of a mass of supporters to the Capitol on 1/6 to pressure the unwilling Pence to de-certify ballots from 7 states.
Once you understand the narrative target, the Indictment becomes an easy read, tightly focused on the Alt-N elements.
It identifies Trump, reaffirms his right to free speech, even to lie about election fraud, but draws the line at criminal activity. It then states the charges--conspiracy to defraud the U.S., conspiracy to obstruct certification, obstruction thereof, and conspiracy to defraud voters of their voting rights--lists 6 co-conspirators, and 1) presents efforts to corrupt election results in the primary states involved, beginning with Arizona. In each case Trump and minions pushed governors and state senate majority leaders and house speakers for announcements of corruption or "problems" and declarations the election was invalid. To a man they refused. Trump was repeatedly told no fraud was found, and then repeatedly tweeted and otherwise announced that it was. 2) The "Green Bay Sweep" follows from the failure of direct influence. The "fake electors" plot develops rapidly and draws at least 90 people into the fraud. Some knew it was fraud, a few were defrauded themselves (as mentioned above.).
Following that, the Indictment goes to 3) Trump's direct attempts to leverage the Justice Department into falsely claiming it has discovered "problems" with the election. E.g., it would involve itself in the fraudulent elector scheme, sending disinformation to each of the states in question. The final ploy was to have the DOJ declare the election fraudulent. When the acting director refused to, Trump wanted to appoint "coconspirator 4" (Gates) AG, but stopped only when he learned that would result in mass resignations. When CC4 was told the plan would have people rioting in every state, his response was "that's what the Insurrection Act is for." I.e., Trump would be declared winner and the military would put down any resistance.
The final two sections treat with the third leg of the fraud stool--4) efforts to coerce Pence into willingly de-certifying the election, and 5) the Capitol riot as a means of pressuring Pence and other lawmakers into de-certification.
Fox has been busy working up a Trump supportive alternative narrative too, in its initial stages a defense of Trump's free speech and claims no one will ever prove that that he didn't believe the election wasn't stolen. ("Wait till Trump gets to call his own witnesses!" lol) The goal is to prevent Trump from running again, etc. They may be underestimating the evidence and misreading Smith's angle of attack. E.g., if Trump receives a report from his own chief of staff that Cobb County Georgia elections are legitimate, and his response is to tweet that "terrible people" there are perpetuating fraud there, a jury might be little interested in whether Trump believed there was fraud or not--and think he was clearly perpetrating it himself.'
Anyway I am curious about what others think of the details of the indictment and the developing Fox alternative-narratives. (And I apolgize in advance for errors and omissions in the above summary.)
I'm thinking that as the charges are examined in court, the percentage of people who think the indictment serious and valid will rise. But I don't underestimate the power of alternative narratives. They've got half the country more interested in HB's laptop than in an attempt to overturn democracy.
*Alternative narratives of this sort resonate with and support one another. If you follow the Alt-N that the Russia investigation was a "hoax," as were the impeachments of Trump, then it is very easy to "see" how the deep state and liberal media and Venezuela could also upend a legitimate election, in deathly fear of the only incorruptible president who could actually "drain the swamp." The Trump "hate" trope separates investigation from fact throughout.
![[Image: 4CV0TeR.png]](https://i.imgur.com/4CV0TeR.png)
