Friend,

As Comms Director, you probably think I spend a lot of my time writing and spinning but in reality, I spend an equal amount of time reading between the lines and translating what’s really going on. When a lawyer says “thanks to your bullshit” in an on-the-record email, well… even we don’t really need to translate them.

Don’t miss this absolutely insane email exchange the Jan. 6th committee dropped late Wednesday night. This is a conversation between Mike Pence’s top lawyer and coup-plotter extraordinaire John Eastman – happening right as the Trump-fueled insurrectionists were starting to attack the Capitol.

From Pence’s lawyer, Jacob – to Eastman:

"I have run down every legal trail placed before me to its conclusion, and I respectfully conclude that as a legal framework, it is a results-oriented position that you would never support if attempted by the opposition, and essentially entirely made up … And thanks to your bullshit, we are now under siege." (emphasis ours)

Translation: … actually, I don’t have to translate this one.

Eastman fired back:

"The 'siege' is because YOU and your boss did not do what was necessary to allow this to be aired in a public way so the American people can see for themselves what happened."

Translation: Hey Mike! It’s your fault there’s a riot! (Oh, the “hang Mike Pence!” chants you probably hear? Just ignore those.)

Jacob w/Team Pence:

"The advice provided has, whether intended or not, functioned as a serpent in the ear of the President of the United States, the most powerful office in the entire world. And here we are."

"Respectfully, it was gravely, gravely irresponsible for you to entice the President with an academic theory that had no legal viability, and that you well know we would lose before any judge who heard and decided the case. And if the courts declined to hear it, I suppose it could only be decided in the streets. The knowing amplification of that theory through numerous surrogates, whipping large numbers of people into a frenzy over something with no chance of ever attaining legal force through actual process of law, has led us to where we are."

Translation: Hey, Trump, you know this was going to end like this, and we know you know it.

This would be an insane email exchange between any two people remotely attached to the United States government. You’d almost be forgiven if you thought this was just more partisan yelling. But no. This was the Republican top lawyer to the vice president arguing with the Republican lawyer to the President. 

They knew what they were doing the entire time. They knew it was wrong, unconstitutional, illegal, whatever.

They. Did. Not. Care.

Are you shocked?

We’re not.

Still think we’re being alarmist? 

We’re not.

This is a coup that started long before Jan. 6th and the GOP is doing everything they can to continue it. We have to stop them. Are you with us?

-Ryan @The Lincoln Project

@ryan_n_wiggins on Twitter

@ProjectLincoln on Twitter