'Pure insanity': Analysis breaks down Trump and allies’ insidious effort to ​spin his voter fraud lies

A new Washington Post analysis sheds light on the extent of former President Donald Trump's plot to convince the U.S Department of Justice to possibly overtime the 2020 election.

With the election uncertainties ahead for 2022 and 2024, some Republican lawmakers have backpedaled and changed their tune in favor of Trump and his voter fraud conspiracy theories. Sen. Charles E. Grassley (R-Iowa) is a prime example.

Speaking to Newsmax, the Iowa Republican lawmaker recalled former U.S. Department of Justice official Jeffrey Clark's political agenda as he placed an emphasis on having state legislatures obtain new electors.

"That was the advice that one person in the Justice Department was suggesting — but just one person. And [Trump] rejected all that," Grassley said, adding, "And they're trying to make it a scenario [where] he was trying to get the Justice Department" to obtain different electors.

WaPo highlighted one other glaring issue: "the sheer desperation and ridiculousness of what undergirded this entire effort."

The U.S. Senate report released on Thursday, October 7 "showed this effort revolved around some of the most specious conspiracy theories at the Trump team's disposal — theories that in several cases had already been debunked and in every case didn't pass the smell test."

The report also highlighted the bizarre claims that were circulated by former Trump White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows. Many of Trump allies used claims like these to try and have the DOJ open a voter fraud investigation.

Here are some examples of the claims:

• "That 66,247 underage voters had unlawfully cast ballots in Georgia (debunked by GOP-run Georgia secretary of state's office Dec. 23)
• That thousands of votes were unlawfully cast by individuals registered at P.O. boxes or who didn't live in the area where they voted (debunked on Dec. 10 and Dec. 14)
• That the election was stolen using satellites in Italy (debunked in early January)
• That GOP poll watchers in New Mexico were not allowed to observe, and that late-night vote dumps suggested malfeasance (rejected by state Supreme Court in November, debunked in November, Trump lawsuit abandoned in mid-January)"

The report noted:

"When then-acting attorney general Jeffrey A. Rosen shared the email from Meadows with Donoghue, Donoghue responded, 'Pure insanity.'

"About an hour later, Meadows shared previously debunked claims about "signature matching anomalies in Fulton county, Ga."

"'Can you believe this?' Rosen wrote to Donoghue.'"I am not going to respond to the message below.'"

"Donoghue responded: 'At least it's better than the last one, but that doesn't say much.'"