Dear MoveOn member,
"Not only could Trump make a second attempt at overturning an election he loses, he and his allies are already laying the groundwork."1
That's what dozens of elections experts told Politico in an alarming new investigative report titled "The Very Real Scenario Where Trump Loses and Takes Power Anyway."2
And the experts say Donald Trump is hell-bent on taking power—no matter the outcome of the election, because if he loses, Trump will face an avalanche of criminal proceedings that could land him in prison. But if he wins, Trump could easily make many of the criminal cases against him go away.
Trump isn't just fighting for the presidency. He's fighting to avoid jail time.
In a second, we will tell you more about what congressional investigators, political operatives, election officials, and constitutional law experts say Trump could do to overturn the election.
But first, we wanted to reassure you that MoveOn already has plans in place to protect our democracy, counter MAGA efforts to sabotage election results, and make sure that every legal vote is counted.
The problem is that MoveOn's fundraising has been significantly slower than in previous election years. As a grassroots organization, we need your help to ensure that MoveOn not only has the funds to run our full election program all the way through Election Day but also has the resources to organize our members to defend democracy, stop any election sabotage, and advance a people-first agenda no matter what happens after Election Day.
According to Politico's reporting and interviews with dozens of lawyers, congressional experts, and academics who study presidential elections, here's what Trump could do to undermine the election.3
Step 1: Trump will spread lies and conspiracy theories in order to sow distrust in the election results. This is already underway. According to CNN, Trump has "made at least 12 distinct false claims over the last two months that raise baseless doubts" about the election.4
Step 2: Trump will likely declare victory on election night—no matter the outcome.
Step 3: Trump will mount bogus lawsuits to throw out enough ballots to flip the results in battleground states. Already, Republicans are filing suits in battleground states with the goal of ginning up doubts about the result if Trump loses.5
Step 4: Trump will pressure local MAGA officials in battleground states to reject the results, including coordinating with far-right state lawmakers to appoint fake presidential electors. Trump spent 2020 and 2022 softening the ground for this by endorsing and campaigning for MAGA election deniers.6
Step 5: Trump will ask his MAGA Republican allies in Congress to certify the fake presidential electors, preventing Vice President Kamala Harris from earning the necessary 270 Electoral College votes. Think this can't happen? Trump has already recruited at least 30 election deniers to serve as Electoral College electors.7
Step 6: With neither candidate winning 270 votes in the Electoral College, the election will be decided by the House of Representatives. There, Republicans will likely have the upper hand and would vote to install Trump as president.
Please understand: Trump's election sabotage operation is far more sophisticated than it was in 2020. But, John, we cannot, and will not, allow Trump to overturn a free and fair democratic election.
But that may require massive, sustained efforts by MoveOn and others to push back on disinformation, ensure that election officials are not intimidated into doing Trump's bidding, put pressure on Congress to follow the will of the people, and much, much more.
Thanks for all you do.
–Mohammad, Kelly, Allison, Olga, and the rest of the team
P.S. Don't miss out on the fun! MoveOn members are connecting with voters in battleground states daily, asking them to remind their friends and family to vote, which is proven to increase turnout by 8.3%! RSVP for a few election phone banks now so we can celebrate together after November 5 when we elect Kamala Harris and Tim Walz!
Sources:
1. "The Very Real Scenario Where Trump Loses and Takes Power Anyway," Politico, October 20, 2024
https://act.moveon.org/go/198503?t=6&akid=411875%2E40999114%2ERwmkyY
2. Ibid.
3. Ibid.
4. "Fact check: 12 election lies Trump is using to set the stage to dispute a potential 2024 defeat," CNN, September 30, 2024
https://act.moveon.org/go/198504?t=8&akid=411875%2E40999114%2ERwmkyY
5. "Democrats grow concerned Republicans are planting seeds with legal suits to overturn a Trump defeat," NBC News, September 1, 2024
https://act.moveon.org/go/198505?t=10&akid=411875%2E40999114%2ERwmkyY
6. "How Trump's Endorsements Elevate Election Lies and Inflate His Political Power," The New York Times, August 21, 2022
https://act.moveon.org/go/198508?t=12&akid=411875%2E40999114%2ERwmkyY
7. "At least 30 election deniers and 2020 fake electors serving as Trump electors this year," CNN, October 17, 2024
https://act.moveon.org/go/198506?t=14&akid=411875%2E40999114%2ERwmkyY
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