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Defend Our Country Digest

Defend Our Country Digest — April 26, 2022

By April 26, 2022No Comments

Driving the Day:   

Must Read Stories

New Text Messages Show The Depth Of GOP Involvement In The Conspiracy To Overturn The Election 

  • CNN: Mark Meadows’ 2,319 Text Messages Reveal Trump’s Inner Circle Communications Before And After January 6: CNN has obtained 2,319 text messages that former President Donald Trump’s White House chief of staff Mark Meadows sent and received between Election Day 2020 and President Joe Biden’s January 20, 2021 inauguration. The vast trove of texts offers the most revealing picture to date of how Trump’s inner circle, supporters and Republican lawmakers worked behind the scenes to try to overturn the election results and then reacted to the violence that effort unleashed at the US Capitol on January 6, 2021. The logs, which Meadows selectively provided to the House committee investigating the January 6 attack, show how the former chief of staff was at the nexus of sprawling conspiracy theories baselessly claiming the election had been stolen. They also demonstrate how he played a key role in the attempts to stop Biden’s certification on January 6.
  • New York Times: New Details Underscore House G.O.P. Role in Jan. 6 Planning: It has been clear for more than a year that ultraconservative members of Congress were deeply involved in attempts to keep Mr. Trump in power: They joined baseless lawsuits, spread the lie of widespread election fraud and were among the 147 Republicans who voted on Jan. 6, 2021, against certifying President Biden’s victory in at least one state. But in a court filing and in text messages obtained by CNN, new pieces of evidence have emerged in recent days fleshing out the degree of their involvement with the Trump White House in strategy sessions, at least one of which included discussions about encouraging Mr. Trump’s supporters to march to the Capitol on Jan. 6, despite warnings of potential violence. Some continued to push to try to keep Mr. Trump in office even after a mob of his supporters attacked the complex. “In our private chat with only Members, several are saying the only way to save our Republic is for Trump to call for Marshall law,” Representative Majorie Taylor Greene, Republican of Georgia, wrote to Mr. Meadows on Jan. 17, 2021, misspelling the word “martial.”

Trump Held In Contempt Of Court Over Documents In New York AG Investigation 

  • New York Times: Judge Holds Trump in Contempt Over Documents in New York A.G.’s Inquiry: A New York state judge on Monday held Donald J. Trump in contempt of court for failing to comply with a subpoena from the state attorney general’s office, an extraordinary rebuke of the former president that came as that office suggested it might soon file a long-threatened lawsuit against him. The judge, Arthur F. Engoron, ordered Mr. Trump to fully respond to the subpoena from the attorney general, Letitia James — who sought records from the former president about his family business — and assessed a fine of $10,000 per day until he satisfied the court’s requirements. “Mr. Trump: I know you take your business seriously, and I take mine seriously,” said Justice Engoron, before he held Mr. Trump in contempt and banged his gavel.

In The States

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis Signs Bill Establishing An Election Police Force 

  • CNN: DeSantis Signs Bill Creating New Florida Election Police Force: Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on Monday signed a sweeping voting overhaul bill that establishes a new election police force — giving his administration a new way to probe election crimes. With the GOP governor’s signature, Florida has become one of the first states in the country with a unit focused on election fraud, an exceedingly rare problem that has become an animating issue for some Republican voters following former President Donald Trump’s 2020 loss. “I don’t think there is any other place in the country where you should have more confidence that your vote counts than in the state of Florida,” DeSantis said at a news conference before signing the law.

Trump Endorsed Pennsylvania Senate Candidate Dr. Oz Says “We Cannot Move On” From The 2020 Election 

  • Politico: Dr. Oz: ‘we Cannot Move On’ From The 2020 Election: Mehmet Oz used former President Donald Trump as a human shield at a Pennsylvania GOP Senate primary debate Monday night. […] The candidates’ loyalty to Trump was tested throughout the night. Moderators asked whether it was time for the GOP to move forward as Trump continues to talk about the 2020 election. Oz said he had discussed the 2020 election with Trump and that “we cannot move on.” McCormick said it was a “tragedy” that most Republican voters in Pennsylvania didn’t believe in the integrity of the election. Sands directed viewers to a film by far-right personality Dinesh D’Souza propping up election conspiracies. Barnette said the Republican Party should “absolutely not” move past the 2020 election. Only Jeff Bartos, a real estate developer, zeroed in on the 2022 midterms in his answer. “Unfortunately, Joe Biden’s the president,” he said, arguing that “Americans are going to stand up with one loud voice” in November and “we are going to have historic wins.”

Headlines

The January 6 Conspiracy 

CNN: Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene’s comments in since-deleted videos contradict testimony on close ties to Capitol rioter

Washington Post: ‘Exhilarated’ McConnell said Jan. 6 ‘discredited’ Trump, book says

Washington Post: McCarthy dodges questions about audio, Trump and Jan. 6

Opinion

Washington Post (Greg Sargent and Paul Waldman): Opinion: Marjorie Taylor Greene’s texts show birth of Jan. 6 ‘antifa’ lie