A new bombshell report by the New York Times revealed that former President Donald Trump was directly involved with plans to use branches of the federal government to seize voting machines after his loss in the 2020 election, personally asking then-Attorney General, Bill Barr to help him stay in power by taking control of the machines.
As his tenure in the White House was running out, Trump reportedly become more desperate and asked his personal attorney Rudy Giuliani if he could call the Department of Homeland Security to ask if it could take control of voting machines in several swing states, The Times reported, citing people familiar with Trump’s discussions. In another meeting in the Oval Office, Trump directly asked then-Attorney General William Barr whether the Justice Department could take control of the machines.
Barr immediately shot down the idea, according to the newspaper. Trump then asked Homeland Security’s acting deputy secretary, Ken Cuccinelli, who told him he didn’t have the authority to do so.
The Times also reported that Trump also considered the use of the military to seize the voting machines.
Aspects of that plan made it into the draft executive order to use the Pentagon to seize the machines, but it prompted strong opposition and the order was never issued.
Among many reasons why these facts about the Cuccinelli call and Barr ask matter: Trump allies have repeatedly painted him as essentially giving a hearing to but not really heeding some of the suggestions he was getting about how to use the govt post-election. https://t.co/KYBzfobVIB
— Maggie Haberman (@maggieNYT) February 1, 2022
