Trump's Legal Team Implodes as Third Lawyer Admits to Plot Against Democracy

 So, the hits just keep on coming, don't they? You wake up, pour your coffee, and check the news headlines to find yet another Trump lawyer has gone down in flames. This time it's the guy who actually drafted the paperwork to try and get the Supreme Court to overturn the election. Seriously, at this point, you have to wonder if Trump's legal team was actually working for the other side. How else do you explain this level of sheer incompetence and buffoonery? The Kraken has been uncaged alright, and it's taking down everyone in sight. The only question remaining is who from Trump's circle of dubious lawyers and advisors will be the next to crack under the pressure and turn on their former boss. The legal drama surrounding the ex-President just gets crazier by the day. Grab the popcorn, folks. This slow-motion train wreck is just getting started.

Former Trump Lawyer Pleads Guilty to Sedition

The hits just keep coming for Trump’s legal team. His former personal attorney, Rudy Giuliani, admitted his role in Trump’s attempts to overturn the 2020 election. According to Giuliani, he and other Trump lawyers actively pushed election officials in several states to block certification of votes for Joe Biden.

Sedition charges loom

Federal investigators are determining whether Giuliani and pro-Trump lawyers Victoria Toensing and Sidney Powell should face sedition charges for conspiring to prevent a peaceful transfer of power. Sedition, attempting to overthrow the government by force, is a serious federal offense.

While Giuliani claimed he was just doing his job as Trump’s lawyer, his actions went far beyond the ethical bounds of legal counsel. Pressuring elected officials to nullify votes and election results undermines democratic principles. Some argue Giuliani’s admission provides grounds to disbar him, preventing him from practicing law.

Giuliani’s mea culpa comes as the House committee investigating the Capitol attack expands its probe into Trump’s wider effort to stay in office. The plot encompassed filing specious lawsuits, personally pressuring state officials, and riling up supporters with false claims of voter fraud.

Though Trump continues to insist the election was stolen, his own lawyers and advisors knew the fraud claims were baseless. Their attempts to get courts and lawmakers to overturn the will of voters have severely damaged trust in U.S. democratic institutions and processes. The legal reckoning for those responsible is just beginning.

The Unraveling of Trump's Inner Circle

The walls are closing in on Trump's inner circle. First, his longtime lawyer and "fixer" Michael Cohen pleaded guilty to campaign finance violations, tax evasion and lying to Congress. Then, his former campaign chairman Paul Manafort was convicted of financial crimes. Now, Cohen's replacement as Trump's personal attorney, Rudy Giuliani, is under federal investigation.

As each domino falls, Trump's web of deception continues to unravel. According to court filings, Cohen admitted to facilitating hush money payments to women who alleged affairs with Trump during the 2016 election. Cohen said he made these payments "at the direction of and in coordination with" Trump. Quite the betrayal from a man who once said he would "take a bullet" for his boss.

With Cohen cooperating, Giuliani's activities are now under scrutiny. The so-called "America's Mayor" has spent the past year attempting to dig up dirt on Trump's political opponents in Ukraine. However, Giuliani's scheming has backfired. His associates, Lev Parnas and Igor Fruman, were indicted for illegally funneling foreign money into U.S. elections. The feds are investigating whether Giuliani was also involved in their criminal plans.

As Trump's inner circle collapses under the weight of criminal investigations, the truth is finally seeing the light of day. The web of lies spun to mislead the public is unraveling. And at the center of that web sits the President - a man who demands absolute loyalty but offers none in return. The real question is: who will be the next to face justice for conspiring to undermine American democracy at Trump's behest? The dominos are falling, and Trump's day of reckoning is getting closer.

Attempts to Subvert Democracy Come to Light

As the investigations into Trump’s attempts to overturn the 2020 election intensify, more details are emerging about the actions of his legal team. The recent guilty plea of another former Trump lawyer shows the depths to which they were willing to go to subvert democracy.

John Eastman’s memo

In early January, Trump lawyer John Eastman drafted a memo outlining a six-step plan for Vice President Pence to overturn the election results. Pence would have rejected electors from certain states, ensuring that Trump received a majority. This scheme went against the Electoral Count Act and the Constitution. Eastman claimed it was “legally viable,” but legal experts widely condemned it.

Pressure campaign

Trump and his allies waged an aggressive pressure campaign to coerce Pence into going along with the plan. At a rally before the insurrection, Trump said “Mike Pence is going to have to come through for us, and if he doesn’t, that will be a sad day for our country.” Threats against Pence soon followed on far-right social networks.

Jeff Clark’s plot

With acting attorney general Jeffrey Rosen refusing to support efforts to overturn the election, Trump considered replacing him with environmental lawyer Jeff Clark. Clark drafted a letter for Georgia officials falsely claiming that the Justice Department had “identified significant concerns” about election fraud that could justify decertifying results. Rosen and his deputies refused to send the letter, threatening to resign. Trump backed down, showing there were still some limits to how far he would go.

A stain on democracy

The actions of Eastman, Clark and others were a stain on American democracy and the rule of law. Though their plots ultimately failed, they caused real damage. The integrity of future elections is at stake if such subversive behavior is not condemned and prevented. Voters must continue to make their voices heard to protect democracy.

Trump's Desperate Attempts to Hold Onto Power

Trump’s desperation to cling to power led to increasingly erratic behavior following his 2020 election loss. His legal team scrambled to file over 60 lawsuits alleging widespread voter fraud, despite a lack of evidence. When the courts rejected their baseless claims, Trump pressured state officials to overturn results. His reckless actions undermined faith in democracy and threatened the peaceful transfer of power.

Trying to Bully Election Officials

Trump personally called Georgia's Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, demanding he "find 11,780 votes" to flip the state in his favor. His lawyers also unsuccessfully tried to prevent Michigan and Pennsylvania from certifying results. These bullying tactics were a disturbing attempt to subvert the will of voters.

Inciting the Capitol Riot

Trump's lies about a "stolen" election fueled anger among supporters, ultimately leading to the deadly January 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol. His speech that day was a "combustible formula" that "ignited the crowd," House impeachment managers argued. Though Trump was acquitted in his Senate trial, seven members of his own party voted to convict, recognizing his culpability in inciting the riot.

Pardoning Allies, Not Rioters

In his final days, Trump handed out pardons to political allies like Steve Bannon, but notably did not pardon any Capitol rioters, underscoring that he only values loyalty to himself. His flurry of pardons for the corrupt and well-connected further cemented his legacy of abusing power for personal gain.

Trump’s desperate bids to overturn the election and hold onto the presidency damaged democratic principles and severely tested the strength of America's institutions. Though he has left office, the threat of Trumpism lives on. Americans must remain vigilant to protect our democracy from future authoritarians who would follow in his footsteps.

The Continuing Fallout of the January 6th Insurrection

The fallout from the January 6th insurrection at the Capitol continues as yet another member of Trump’s legal team has pleaded guilty to charges related to trying to overturn the results of the 2020 election. Jeffrey Clark, a former Justice Department official under Trump, admitted this week to plotting with Trump to oust the acting attorney general in a scheme to get the department to falsely claim that there was major election fraud.

A Scheme to Subvert Democracy

According to court documents, Clark conspired with Trump to pressure the Justice Department into sending letters to Georgia and other states falsely stating that the department had “identified significant concerns that may have impacted the outcome of the election.” The goal was to get Republican-controlled legislatures to overturn the will of voters and hand electoral college votes to Trump.

Luckily, the acting attorney general at the time, Jeffrey Rosen, refused to go along with this undemocratic plan. However, Trump then plotted to fire Rosen and install Clark, who was willing to do his bidding. Senior department officials also threatened to resign en masse if Clark was appointed. This scheme ultimately failed, allowing for the peaceful transfer of power to proceed.

An Alarming Precedent

While Clark’s guilty plea brings some accountability, the fact that a sitting president actively worked to subvert democracy itself sets an alarming precedent. Trump’s lies about election fraud have also severely damaged public trust in the electoral system, with polls showing a large portion of Republicans still falsely believe the 2020 election was stolen.

The nation narrowly avoided a full-blown constitutional crisis last January. However, as long as the Big Lie continues to spread and lawmakers work to pass laws making it harder to vote, the threat to American democracy persists. The fallout from January 6th is far from over. Each revelation about what went on behind the scenes during those tumultuous months further demonstrates the fragility of the democratic experiment. Constant vigilance and civic participation are needed to protect it.

Conclusion

So there you have it, folks. Another day, another Trump lawyer confessing to illegal shenanigans in a desperate attempt to keep their disgraced client in power. At this point, the sheer absurdity of it all would be comical if the stakes weren't so high and the damage already done so severe. But while Trump's legal C-team continues their pathetic attempts to subvert democracy, the rest of us must remain vigilant. We must continue demanding accountability and speaking truth to power. And we must make our voices heard at the ballot box to ensure charlatans like Trump never come within striking distance of the Oval Office again. The future of our nation depends on it. Stay tuned - something tells me the hits are going to keep on coming.