Donald Trump’s closest campaign advisers, top government officials and even his family disproved his false allegations of 2020 electoral fraud before January 6, but the losing president seemed to be “cut off” from clings to strange theories to stay in power. The commission investigating the Capitol attack was informed on Monday. With fascinating testimony, the committee describes step by step how Trump ignored his own campaign team as one state after another overthrew Joe Biden, and instead dealt with conspiracy theories, lawsuits and his own. his statements of victory instead of having to admit defeat. Trump’s “big lie” about electoral fraud escalated and turned into marching orders called by supporters in Washington and then sent to the Capitol on Jan. 6 to block Biden’s victory. “He is detached from reality if he really believes these things,” former Attorney General William Barr testified in an interview with the commission. Barr called the allegations of fraud “bull —-“, “fake” and “stupid” and then resigned. “I did not want to be part of it.” The House committee passed the morning hearing examining Trump’s allegations of electoral fraud and the countless ways in which those around him tried to convince the defeated Republican president that it was not true and that he had simply lost the election. Witnesses on Monday, mostly Republicans and many testifying in pre-recorded videos, described in crude and sometimes outrageous detail how Trump refused to take the advice of those closest to him, including members of his family. As the people around him split into a “normal group” led by former campaign director Bill Stepien and others led by Trump’s confidant Rudy Giuliani, the president chose his side. On election night, Stepien said, Trump “became increasingly unhappy” and refused to accept the bleak prospect of his presidency. Groom Jared Kouchner tried to remove Trump from Giuliani and his far-reaching theories about voter fraud. The president would have none of that. The back and forth intensified in view of the 6th of January. Former Justice Department official Richard Donoghue recalled dismissing one claim after another – from a Pennsylvania ballot box to a missing ballot box in Georgia – and telling Trump “a lot of the information you receive is false. ». However, he continued his false allegations even after the collapse of dozens of court cases. On Monday, an unrepentant Trump described the hearings in his familiar language as “ridiculous and treacherous” and reiterated his claims. The former president, who is considering another candidacy for the White House, defended the attack on the Capitol as the Americans are simply seeking to “hold their elected officials accountable.” Nine people lost their lives in the uprising and its aftermath, including a Trump supporter who was shot and killed by Capitol police. More than 800 people have been arrested and members of two extremist groups have been charged with rare charges of insurgency for their roles that led the charge to the Capitol. During the hearing, the panel also provided new information on how Trump’s fundraising machine raised about $ 250 million with his “Stop the Steal” campaigns and others after the November election, mostly from small donations. dollars from Americans. A call for cash was made 30 minutes before the uprising of January 6, 2021. “It was not just the big lie, there was the big bang,” said Zoe Lofgren, spokeswoman for D-Calif. President Benny Thompson, D-Miss., Opened Monday’s hearing by saying that Trump “betrayed the American people” and “tried to stay in power when the people voted against him.” As the hearings are held for the public, they are also being watched by one of the most important spectators, Attorney General Merrick Garland, who must decide whether his department can and should prosecute Trump. No Member of Parliament or former President has ever faced such an accusation. “I’m watching,” Garland told a news conference at the Justice Department on Monday, “even though he is not watching all the hearings live.” “And I can assure you that the January 6 prosecutors are also attending all the hearings.” Biden received briefings but did not see a “knock on the door,” said White House spokeswoman Karin Jean-Pierre. Stepien was due to be a key witness in person on Monday, but abruptly withdrew from appearing live as his wife gave birth. Stepien, who is still close to Trump, was summoned to appear. He is now the top adviser to Trump’s candidate for the House of Representatives, Harriet Hageman, who is challenging the committee’s vice-chairwoman, Liz Cheney, in the Republican primary in Ohio. The panel proceeded after a morning showdown and delay, with witnesses after witnesses saying Trump embraced and reiterated his election claims, although those closest to him said that theories about stolen ballots or rigged ballot machines simply did not they were real. Stepien and senior adviser Jason Miller described how the festive mood in the White House on election night was bleak as Fox News reported that Trump lost Arizona to Joe Biden and his aides worked to advise him. what to do next. But he ignored their advice, choosing to listen to Giuliani, who was described by several witnesses as drunk. Giuliani issued a general denial on Monday, dismissing “all the lies” he said were being made about him. Stepien said, “I think my recommendation was to say that the votes are still being counted, it is too early to say, it is too early to announce the race.” But Trump “thought I was wrong. Told me”. Barr, who also testified at the opening hearing of last week’s blockbuster, said Trump was “as crazy as I had ever seen him” when the attorney general later explained that the Justice Department would not take part in the election. Barr said when he would tell Trump “how crazy some of these allegations were, there has never been, there has never been a show of interest in the facts.” In the last year, the commission has been investigating the most violent attack on the Capitol since the 1812 war, which some believe posed a serious threat to democracy. Live witnesses also attended Monday’s hearing, including Chris Stirewalt, a former Fox News Channel political editor who was part of a group that said Biden won Arizona on election night. Also appearing was Atlanta’s former U.S. attorney, BJay Pak, who resigned abruptly after Trump pressed Georgia Secretary of State Brad Rafensperger to find enough votes to reverse his defeat. The panel also heard from election lawyer Benjamin Ginsberg, who discussed the challenges of the campaign, and former Philadelphia City Commissioner Al Schmidt, the only Republican on the county council, who told the panel that regardless of How “fantastic” are some of the allegations that Trump and his team made, city officials investigated. Discussed threats after Trump’s criticism in a tweet. Associated Press writers Kevin Freking and Michael Balsamo in Washington and Farnoush Amiri and Jill Colvin in New York contributed to this report.
