It was beyond obvious that Trump was trying to rig the election outcome, of course. And he indirectly stated his intention to overthrow the election numerous times. But now he has outright stated his criminal intent.
He has confessed to the coup attempt.
Every minute that passes is a minute that the Democratic Party is 100% complicit in helping Trump cover up his crimes and 100% culpable for helping the Republican Party organize their next coup.
No more excuses.
***
Here's the full one-paragraph statement Trump released on his "Save America" fundraising website on January 30, 2022.
"If the Vice President (Mike Pence) had “absolutely no right” to change the Presidential Election results in the Senate, despite fraud and many other irregularities, how come the Democrats and RINO Republicans, like Wacky Susan Collins, are desperately trying to pass legislation that will not allow the Vice President to change the results of the election? Actually, what they are saying, is that Mike Pence did have the right to change the outcome, and they now want to take that right away. Unfortunately, he didn’t exercise that power, he could have overturned the Election!"
https://web.archive.org/web/20220131193843/https://www.donaldjtrump.com/news/news-8nkdvatd7g1481
The key piece that makes this confession so damning is that Trump says "change the results of the election", "change the outcome", and "overturned the Election". The Republican Big Lie narrative prior to January 6th and after January 6th is that Trump "legally" won the election, and Pence objecting to the electoral votes and all other means were merely "legal" recourses Republicans were allowed to take.
Now, after all the criminal investigations have been heating up, Trump has just confessed he did indeed want to "overturn" the settled outcome of the election. To spell it out, Trump is admitting he lost and wanted Pence and others to illegally overthrow the government to keep him in power.
There is no legal recourse to "overturn" the valid results of an election. Trump confessed he was staging a coup attempt.
In legal terms, Trump's public confession has shown mens rea (criminal intent). He knew he was trying to "overturn" the real, legal results--and not merely pursuing legal remedies for a recount in an undetermined election. I'm sure a decent lawyer could demonstrate mens rea with Trump's earlier statements--but it is stunning to see Trump so publicly confess to his crime.
No doubt he has (sane) lawyers who have told him not to do such a thing, and surely he has a legal team read his statements before releasing them on his website. Yet he confessed anyway. He probably feels invincible and believes he will never face any consequences. ...And given the lack of action by the so-called Justice Department and Democratic Party, maybe he will be correct?
***
I am not the only one who has recognized the importance of Trump's confession:
"“He could have overturned the election.” This is an admission, and a massively un-American statement. It is time for every Republican leader to pick a side… Trump or the Constitution, there is no middle on defending our nation anymore."
https://twitter.com/AdamKinzinger/status/1487966555011010565
"Trump uses language he knows caused the Jan 6 violence; suggests he’d pardon the Jan 6 defendants, some of whom have been charged with seditious conspiracy; threatens prosecutors; and admits he was attempting to overturn the election.
He’d do it all again if given the chance."
https://twitter.com/liz_cheney/status/1488114406651219970
***
18 U.S. Code § 2384 - Seditious conspiracy
If two or more persons in any State or Territory, or in any place subject to the jurisdiction of the United States, conspire to overthrow, put down, or to destroy by force the Government of the United States, or to levy war against them, or to oppose by force the authority thereof, or by force to prevent, hinder, or delay the execution of any law of the United States, or by force to seize, take, or possess any property of the United States contrary to the authority thereof, they shall each be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than twenty years, or both.
https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/18/2384
GUILTY
18 U.S. Code § 2383 - Rebellion or insurrection
Whoever incites, sets on foot, assists, or engages in any rebellion or insurrection against the authority of the United States or the laws thereof, or gives aid or comfort thereto, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than ten years, or both; and shall be incapable of holding any office under the United States.
https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/18/2383
GUILTY
18 U.S. Code § 2381 - Treason
Whoever, owing allegiance to the United States, levies war against them or adheres to their enemies, giving them aid and comfort within the United States or elsewhere, is guilty of treason and shall suffer death, or shall be imprisoned not less than five years and fined under this title but not less than $10,000; and shall be incapable of holding any office under the United States.
https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/18/2381
GUILTY
***
If Trump is not arrested immediately, it shows that our federal government has completely collapsed.
This is the "emperor has no clothes" moment. If they are unwilling to arrest Trump for releasing a literal confession of his intent to overthrow the government, then our government is unable to enforce its most fundamental powers and has functionally ceased to exist.
The facade may not collapse immediately, giving the appearance that the corpse of our nation has not been thoroughly rotted and desecrated. But every coup-plotting Republican knows that this will be the signal to go full steam ahead since there is no longer any doubt that they can get away with literally any crime in the book.
No more excuses. Trump admitted he's guilty. The so-called Justice Department and the Democratic Party are now part of the coup attempt if they do not act IMMEDIATELY.
***
This is the decisive moment of where we find out if the Democratic Party is going to legalize coup attempts or not.
If they do, then we are at the complete mercy of the Republican Party, who have already announced they will unleash bloodshed against us until they have complete power over this nation.
A day prior to this confession, Trump told his followers they needed to launch an insurrection even more intense than the one on January 6th in cities across the nation. In other words--he has given the signal that a civil war is coming in the future:
https://authenticamericandream.blogspot.com/2022/01/trump-calls-for-another-insurrection-and-promises-pardons.html
Get ready to defend yourself and your neighbors. Republicans will soon realize there are no longer any laws to restrain them.