“It Shows Contempt for Our Democracy on a Fundamental Level.”: Trump’s Attempts to Illegally Overturn the 2020 Election Branded as “Evil”

Megan MoncrieffNov 18, 2023

Minute Read

On Tuesday, CNN political analyst John Avlon branded Donald Trump’s political strategies as “evil,” and evidence of his “contempt for democracy.” His comments came after former Trump lawyer Jenna Ellis pleaded guilty to aiding and abetting false statements after Trump’s 2020 election loss.

“Evil” in a “Civic Sense”: Trump’s Refusal To Accept Election Loss

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Speaking this week CNN political analyst John Avlon condemned Trump and his team’s attitude towards their 2020 election loss as evil: “Saying ‘we’re not gonna leave, we don’t care, we’re not gonna give up power’ is in a civic sense evil.”

“Contempt for Our Democracy”

Avlon continued: “It shows contempt for our democracy on a fundamental level.” He repeated the phrase multiple times, emphasizing his personal disdain towards the former president’s refusal to leave office.

Former Trump Lawyer Pleads Guilty

His comments were in response to recent claims made by Jenna Ellis, former Trump lawyer, who recently pleaded guilty to one count of aiding and abetting false statements in the aftermath of the 2020 election results.

“The Boss Isn’t Going to Leave”

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In confidential interviews obtained by ABC News, Ellis spoke of her conversation with Trump aide Dan Scavino, who allegedly told her: “The boss isn’t going to leave under any circumstances; we’re just going to stay in power.”

“Game Over” for Trump

In light of Ellis’ statement, Ryan Goodman, who previously served as special counsel for the Department of Defense, said: ”She’s adding something that’s golden evidence for prosecutors both in Georgia and in DC, which is, they don’t have to prove this but if they can show that Trump knew he lost and was still trying to hold on to power, that’s it. That’s game over.”

Not What Trump Wanted To Hear

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Discussing how Trump responded to the loss, Avlon said: “The people who were giving him real information were seen as being on team normal.” He surmised that those who spoke of the truth of the election results were seen as “not sufficiently in support of Donald Trump and his aims to overturn the election.”

“Sidney Powell Cosplaying as Normal”

Avlon also called out Sidney Powell, who joined Trump’s legal team in 2020 in a bid to overturn Joe Biden’s election win. Powell has recently pleaded guilty to six misdemeanor counts of conspiring to interfere with the election results, to which Avlon said: “It’s interesting to see Sidney Powell cosplaying as normal.”

Powell Denies Knowing Election Law

Despite pleading guilty, Powell and Trump have since denied she ever was a part of the Trump legal team. Powell also claimed she was unaware of certain legalities: “Did I know anything about election law? No.”

“Foreshadowing”: History To Repeat Itself

Avlon further scrutinized Trump and his team’s dismissal of the loss: “It is also a foreshadowing for what we’re seeing now in terms of the campaign Donald Trump is running, which is essentially a promising, an authoritarian, autocratic type campaign as a matter of policy and rhetoric.”

Trump Must Be Taken Seriously

Regarding what Trump plans to do if he wins, CNN legal analyst Elie Honig instructed: “Believe him. Take him seriously. Take it at face value when he says it.” He warned: “He’s saying it out loud and couldn’t be more important.”

“It Has To Be Called Out”

Honig continued: “We hear all these things from Donald Trump and they tend to roll off your back, you get numb to it.” He asserted: “Even if it’s repetitive, even if he does it over and over, it has to be called out and named every single time.”

Weaponizing Power

Amid claims that Trump will go after his political opponents, he further condemned: “It’s so dangerous to weaponize prosecutorial power.” He concluded that Trump’s proposed 2025 policies are “legitimately scary.”

“When People Tell You Who They Are, Listen”

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Avlon quoted Maya Angelou, affirming that Trump and his team’s promises of a more mature administration based on experience are “part of the spin the Trump campaign keeps trying to do,” that people should no longer believe.

A Contempt for Republicanism, Not Democracy

Responding directly, one person asserted: “Trump doesn’t have a contempt for democracy and in point of fact, absolutely loves the democratic ideals because democracy always has been close kin to chaos.” Instead, they claimed: “What Trump has contempt for are republican ideals,” as he wants to “do away with the constitution.”

“A Fascist, Authoritarian Takeover”

One person conveyed their worry about the possibility of Trump winning in 2024 and the commencement of his plans: “It’s terrifying every time I see anything related to Project 2025. The whole world economy will collapse. And on a personal level, my whole family is in the States. Losing access to nearly everyone, due to a fascist, authoritarian takeover… I can’t even process it. Please, America. Vote carefully. And also, just vote, in general.”

Hilary Was Right

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After Hilary Clinton’s warning that Trump would end democracy, many people echoed her statement. One person responded: “Hilary Clinton is right about everything, again,” with another user agreeing: “She was right on everything in 2016, too.”

“He Will Not Concede”

Another user expressed their belief that no matter what Trump loses, he is dismissive of the loss: “He will not concede. When he didn’t get an Emmy, he claimed it was rigged. When he didn’t get a cover of Time magazine, he claimed it was rigged. When he lost Iowa in the primaries, he claimed it was rigged. He claimed the 2016 election was rigged before it even happened.”

“The Most Dangerous Moment in Modern Times”

They concluded that Trump’s refusal of his loss in the 2020 election was a pivotal moment, and it may be repeated: “Claiming the 2020 election was rigged as always a foregone conclusion and it was the most dangerous moment in modern times because he was the president. He will absolutely claim the 2024 election is rigged.”