post-election machinations Archives

Sore Loser Cost Americans $519 Million

February 8, 2021 Buck Banks

$519 million

“President Donald Trump’s onslaught of falsehoods about the November election misled millions of Americans, undermined faith in the electoral system, sparked a deadly riot — and has now left taxpayers with a large, and growing, bill,” the Washington Post reports. “The total so far: $519 million.”

Trump Even Threatens Pence

January 5, 2021 Buck Banks

“And I hope Mike Pence comes through for us, I have to tell you. I hope that our great Vice President comes through for us, he’s a great guy. Of course, if he doesn’t come through, I won’t like him quite as much ….”

— President Trump, at a rally in Georgia, on Mike Pence overseeing the electoral vote tally in the U.S. Senate.

Republicans Inciting Riots, Sedition

January 4, 2021 Buck Banks

“But if bottom line is, the court is saying, ‘We’re not going to touch this. You have no remedy’ — basically, in effect, the ruling would be that you gotta go the streets and be as violent as Antifa and BLM.”

— Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-TX), on Newsmax, on his attempts to overturn the electoral vote.

Murkowski Cleaves to Oath of Office

January 4, 2021 Buck Banks

“I think it’s awful. I am going to support my oath to the Constitution. That’s the loyalty test here.”

— Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), quoted by Politico, on Sen. Josh Hawley’s (R-MO) intent to challenge the Electoral College vote on January 6.

Why Trump Must Not Be Allowed to Hold Power Again

December 23, 2020 Buck Banks

“Looking on the bright side of a humiliating national disaster, the manner of President Trump’s departure from power has clarified why he must never hold power again. … On one side are the lunatics — among them Giuliani, Powell and Flynn — who want Trump to violate laws and assume authoritarian powers. On the other side are sycophants who supported Trump’s spurious legal challenges to the election result but apparently draw the line at treason. By most accounts, Trump’s sympathies lie with the lunatics.”

— Michael Gerson

Trump Marks Thune for Primary Challenge in 2022

December 23, 2020 Buck Banks

“South Dakota doesn’t like weakness.”

— President Trump backed a 2022 challenge to Sen. John Thune (R-SD), tweeting that his political career will be “over” and calling Thune a “RINO” and “Mitch’s boy.”

My Pillow Guy Fronts Trump $1 Million to Fight Election Results

December 21, 2020 Buck Banks

$1 million

“With a month to go until Inauguration Day, Mike Lindell, the MyPillow CEO and a personal friend and diehard MAGA supporter of Donald Trump, says he’s poured more than $1 million of his own money into bankrolling efforts to nullify Joe Biden’s win in the 2020 presidential race,” the Daily Beast reports.

Thune: ‘Time to Be Done with This’

December 18, 2020 Buck Banks

“I know there probably are members who still have concerns about the election… But the fact of the matter is-that’s been litigated over and over. The DOJ has weighed in. The states have all certified. The Electoral College has acted. It’s time to be done with this.”

— Sen. John Thune (R-SD), quoted by CNN.

Fox Poll: Half Say Trump Is Weakening the Country

December 14, 2020 Buck Banks

52%

A new Fox News poll finds 52% of American voters said that they believe President Trump is weakening American democracy as he presses forward with lawsuits challenging the election results.

Most Americans Say Election Is Settled, Time to Move On

December 14, 2020 Buck Banks

62%

A new CBS News poll finds 62% of Americans believe that the election is “over and settled” and that it is “time to move on” to other issues. That majority stands in stark contrast to the 82% of Trump supporters polled who do not see President-elect Joe Biden as the legitimate victor.

$519 million

“And I hope Mike Pence comes through for us, I have to tell you. I hope that our great Vice President comes through for us, he’s a great guy. Of course, if he doesn’t come through, I won’t like him quite as much ….”

— President Trump, at a rally in Georgia, on Mike Pence overseeing the electoral vote tally in the U.S. Senate.

“But if bottom line is, the court is saying, ‘We’re not going to touch this. You have no remedy’ — basically, in effect, the ruling would be that you gotta go the streets and be as violent as Antifa and BLM.”

— Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-TX), on Newsmax, on his attempts to overturn the electoral vote.

“I think it’s awful. I am going to support my oath to the Constitution. That’s the loyalty test here.”

— Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), quoted by Politico, on Sen. Josh Hawley’s (R-MO) intent to challenge the Electoral College vote on January 6.

— Michael Gerson

“South Dakota doesn’t like weakness.”

— President Trump backed a 2022 challenge to Sen. John Thune (R-SD), tweeting that his political career will be “over” and calling Thune a “RINO” and “Mitch’s boy.”

$1 million

“I know there probably are members who still have concerns about the election… But the fact of the matter is-that’s been litigated over and over. The DOJ has weighed in. The states have all certified. The Electoral College has acted. It’s time to be done with this.”

— Sen. John Thune (R-SD), quoted by CNN.

52%

A new Fox News poll finds 52% of American voters said that they believe President Trump is weakening American democracy as he presses forward with lawsuits challenging the election results.

62%

A new CBS News poll finds 62% of Americans believe that the election is “over and settled” and that it is “time to move on” to other issues. That majority stands in stark contrast to the 82% of Trump supporters polled who do not see President-elect Joe Biden as the legitimate victor.

Poetic Justice

Verbatim

— Speaker of the House Mike Johnson (R-LA) on the “resign or be fired” ultimatum from the GOP’s Freedom Caucus just 174 days into his tenure as sp[eaker, reported by Punchbowl News.

“Trump’s head slowly dropped, his eyes closed. It jerked back upward. He adjusts himself. Then, his head droops again. He straightens up, leaning back. His head droops for a third time, he shakes his shoulders. Eyes closed still. His head drops. Finally, he pops his eyes open.”

— Law360 reports from the second day of Donald Trump’s “hush money” criminal trial.

— Jonathan Last

“He’s f**king crazy! The press often will ask me if I think Donald Trump is crazy. And I’ll say it this way: I don’t think he’s so crazy that you could put him in a mental institution. But I think if he were in one, he ain’t getting out!”

— New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu (R), quoted by the Associated Press two years ago. Sununu is now backing Trump for president.

— North Carolina Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson (R) described his loving approach to disciplining misbehaving children, WUNC reports.

Numerati

50 of 96

New York Times: “Of the 96 possible jurors brought into the room, more than 50 raised their hands to say they couldn’t be fair. They were immediately excused.”

20%

$3.5 billion

39%

$71 million