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US

Who could replace Newsom with recall? GOP disagrees on how to pick candidates

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The count continues, with one month left from the final date to submit signatures for the Gov. Gavin Newsom recall petition.Now the question is: If the petition gets on the ballot, who will run for the seat? Right now, there is a disagreement within the California Republican Party on how they should choose who they’ll support. THE NUMBERSOn Tuesday, KCRA 3 called each of the 58 county registrar’s offices. We heard back from 45 of them. Based on KCRA 3’s independent reporting, as of Wednesday, a total of 1,020,165 signatures had been submitted. However, only 560,364 are valid. It’s important to note: KCRA 3 did not get current totals from some large counties like Los Angeles County. We can anticipate the total number of valid signatures to increase. The effort needs more than 1.4 million signatures to get the recall petition on the ballot. Signatures can be submitted until March 17.(App users: Click here to view the graphic).GOP DISAGREEMENTBecause petition organizers say they’ve collected 1.6 million signatures, they’ve already moved toward discussing what candidates would be on the ballot.“The bylaw introduced by delegate Betsy Mahan proposes that the California Republican Party have a process for endorsing in a statewide recall election. There is current language regarding a district and local recall election, but not statewide. This bylaw opens the door to that conversation but does not prescribe how it will take place,” said Samatha Henson, spokesperson for the California Republican Party. Betsy Mahan, chair of the Sacramento County Republican Party, told KCRA 3, “The amendment was introduced because I’m concerned the CAGOP will not be able to consider endorsing under current rules, given the timing of the upcoming recall of Gov. Newsom. It is my intent to have the Rules Committee debate the issue to see if a consensus can be reached on a process that allows for endorsement should the full delegation be unable to meet.”Carl DeMaio, chairman of Reform California and one of the leaders in the recall effort, said he wants the party to engage the grassroots volunteers to select what he calls a consensus candidate.“What’s being discussed right now is a radical change in the rules for the California Republican Party to allow a handful of insiders to go behind closed doors and anoint a replacement candidate and then pose their will and pose their choice, their handpicked candidate on all those tens of thousands of grassroots volunteers that made the recall possible. That would be a crushing blow to the movement. It would deflate the energy. It would demoralize the base and I think it would potentially end up killing the entire effort,” he said.KCRA 3 also contacted Tom Del Beccaro, Chairman of Rescue California and another leader in the recall effort. He said in a statement, “I am only dedicated to qualifying the recall. I can’t take a position on internal party matters.”The California Republican Party is scheduled to have its spring organizing convention virtually this weekend.KCRA 3 contacted both the California Democratic Party and the governor’s office for comment but did not receive a response.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. —

The count continues, with one month left from the final date to submit signatures for the Gov. Gavin Newsom recall petition.

Now the question is: If the petition gets on the ballot, who will run for the seat? Right now, there is a disagreement within the California Republican Party on how they should choose who they’ll support.

THE NUMBERS

On Tuesday, KCRA 3 called each of the 58 county registrar’s offices. We heard back from 45 of them. Based on KCRA 3’s independent reporting, as of Wednesday, a total of 1,020,165 signatures had been submitted. However, only 560,364 are valid.

It’s important to note: KCRA 3 did not get current totals from some large counties like Los Angeles County. We can anticipate the total number of valid signatures to increase.

The effort needs more than 1.4 million signatures to get the recall petition on the ballot. Signatures can be submitted until March 17.

(App users: Click here to view the graphic).

GOP DISAGREEMENT

Because petition organizers say they’ve collected 1.6 million signatures, they’ve already moved toward discussing what candidates would be on the ballot.

“The bylaw introduced by delegate Betsy Mahan proposes that the California Republican Party have a process for endorsing in a statewide recall election. There is current language regarding a district and local recall election, but not statewide. This bylaw opens the door to that conversation but does not prescribe how it will take place,” said Samatha Henson, spokesperson for the California Republican Party.

Betsy Mahan, chair of the Sacramento County Republican Party, told KCRA 3, “The amendment was introduced because I’m concerned the CAGOP will not be able to consider endorsing under current rules, given the timing of the upcoming recall of Gov. Newsom. It is my intent to have the Rules Committee debate the issue to see if a consensus can be reached on a process that allows for endorsement should the full delegation be unable to meet.”

Carl DeMaio, chairman of Reform California and one of the leaders in the recall effort, said he wants the party to engage the grassroots volunteers to select what he calls a consensus candidate.

“What’s being discussed right now is a radical change in the rules for the California Republican Party to allow a handful of insiders to go behind closed doors and anoint a replacement candidate and then pose their will and pose their choice, their handpicked candidate on all those tens of thousands of grassroots volunteers that made the recall possible. That would be a crushing blow to the movement. It would deflate the energy. It would demoralize the base and I think it would potentially end up killing the entire effort,” he said.

KCRA 3 also contacted Tom Del Beccaro, Chairman of Rescue California and another leader in the recall effort. He said in a statement, “I am only dedicated to qualifying the recall. I can’t take a position on internal party matters.”

The California Republican Party is scheduled to have its spring organizing convention virtually this weekend.

KCRA 3 contacted both the California Democratic Party and the governor’s office for comment but did not receive a response.

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World

ASEAN would choose U.S. over China if forced to pick sides: Survey

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Signs with the US flag and Chinese flag are seen outside a store selling foreign goods in Qingdao in China’s eastern Shandong province on Sept. 19, 2018.

AFP | Getty Images

SINGAPORE — Southeast Asia’s support for the U.S. appeared to increase after Joe Biden won the presidential election, according to an annual survey by Singaporean think tank ISEAS Yusof-Ishak Institute.

The State of Southeast Asia survey released last week found that 61.5% of respondents favor aligning with the U.S. over China if the region was forced to pick sides. That’s an increase from 53.6% who chose the U.S. over China in the same survey a year ago.

“The region’s support for Washington may have increased as a result of the prospects of the new Biden Administration,” read the report of the survey results.

Responses to the latest survey were gathered from Nov. 18 last year to Jan. 10 this year — after Biden was projected to defeat Donald Trump in the election, but before he was inaugurated as president.

The survey involved more than 1,000 respondents from all 10 member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, or ASEAN. The respondents include government officials, business people, as well as analysts from academia, think tanks and research institutions.

Comparing country-level data, a majority of respondents from seven Southeast Asian nations chose the U.S. over China in the latest survey. That’s an increase from three in the previous edition, with Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand switching sides.

Despite that, the greatest proportion of survey respondents chose China — over the U.S., ASEAN and others — as the most influential power in Southeast Asia.

Around 76.3% of respondents picked China as the most influential economic power, while 49.1% chose China as the most influential political and strategic power.   

Significance of Southeast Asia 

Southeast Asia has been caught in the middle of U.S.-China competition in the last few years.

The region is home to more than 650 million people and some of the world’s fastest-growing economies. Its proximity to the South China Sea — a vital commercial shipping route where trillions of dollars of the world’s trade passes through — adds to its strategic importance.     

The U.S. has for many years been an important presence in the region through both security and economic engagements. But during Trump’s term, the U.S. withdrew from the Trans-Pacific Partnership — a mega trade pact that included several Southeast Asian countries — and top American government officials were notably absent at a few important regional summits.

That seeming lack of interest from the U.S. in the last few years coincided with China’s more aggressive push in the region through programs including infrastructure investments under the Belt and Road Initiative.

But the latest ISEAS survey found that a majority of respondents — around 68.6% — were optimistic that the U.S. under Biden would increase its engagement in Southeast Asia. That compared with a year ago when 77% thought U.S. engagement would decrease, the survey showed.

The region’s trust in the U.S. also jumped from 30.3% a year ago to 48.3% in the latest survey.

“Only time will tell if the region’s renewed trust in the US is misplaced or not,” read the report.

Early signs have shown that the Biden administration would focus more on the region in the coming years.

The president has beefed up his foreign policy team with experts on Asia, while U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken — in a call with his Philippine counterpart — pledged to “stand with” Southeast Asian countries against Chinese pressure in the South China Sea.

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World

Biden’s Pick for Iran Envoy Resurrects Bitter Nuclear Deal Debate

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But Mr. Malley, the son of a Jewish Arab leftist, is a well-known advocate for engaging with groups and governments — including, over the years, Hamas, Hezbollah and President Bashar al-Assad of Syria — widely considered enemies of the United States and Israel and, by some, morally off limits for contact. To his critics, he is overly suspicious of American power and overly sympathetic to foreign actors including Iran and the Palestinians who have deep disputes with the West.

As Mr. Biden’s point man for Iran, responsible for reining in its expanding nuclear program, those critics fear, Mr. Malley will press for a new deal with Tehran that will concede too much to its clerical rulers in the name of reconciliation. When word of his appointment first appeared in the news media, Senator Tom Cotton, Republican of Arkansas, condemned “radicals like Malley” who, he said, holds “a long track record of sympathy for the Iranian regime” and “animus towards Israel.”

Other opponents of negotiating with Iran expressed concern in more temperate terms. “The appointment of Rob Malley may be a clear indication that the Biden administration is prioritizing a return to the J.C.P.O.A. over a policy of deploying American power to get a more compressive and permanent agreement,” said Mark Dubowitz, the chief executive of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, referring to the 2015 nuclear deal, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, which he has long opposed. “Malley is not a believer in American power,” he added.

Defenders of Mr. Malley, whose position does not require Senate confirmation, say that he has become a convenient target for an opening salvo from the American and Israeli right intended to warn the Biden administration against trying too hard to work with Tehran on another nuclear deal like the 2015 agreement that became one of the most bitter foreign policy battles of the Obama years.

“Most of the judging of Rob comes from people who do not know him and who choose to believe that he has no conception of American national interests, and that it’s all about trying to find a way at any costs to reconcile with our enemies,” said Aaron David Miller, a Middle East peace negotiator under multiple presidents who worked with and is close to Mr. Malley.



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Technology

KLab and Aiming announce Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon? online game for PC, mobile

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KLab has announced the development of a new PC and mobile online game based on the anime series Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon? planned for worldwide distribution. It has partnered with Caravan Stories studio Aiming for development.

KLab plans to utilize its experience in intellectual property-based game development and operation know-how, both in Japan and overseas, to develop and distribute this new Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon? game.

Further details were not announced.

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Sports

Reports: Panthers offered No. 8 pick and more for Matthew Stafford

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The Panthers were among several teams vying for Matthew Stafford before the Lions agreed to trade him to the Rams, but the reports of what the Panthers were offering is eye-opening.

Carolina offered up its first-round pick this year, No. 8 overall, and more, according to Albert Breer of SI.com and Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.

With an offer like that, it’s surprising that the Lions would take the Rams’ offer of a 2021 third-round pick, 2022 first-round pick, 2023 first-round pick and Jared Goff instead. The Rams’ picks in 2022 and 2023 will likely be later in the first round than No. 8 overall, and teams almost always prioritize having picks this year over having them in the future. In fact, if the Lions really wanted first-round picks in future years, they could have gotten them by trading out of the Panthers’ No. 8 overall pick, as well as the Lions’ own No. 7 overall pick.

The Rams were eager to get rid of Goff’s contract, and Lions General Manager Brad Holmes, who was with the Rams throughout Goff’s tenure, may like him well enough that he views Goff, even with his expensive salary cap hits the next two seasons, as a positive asset. But with a Top 10 pick in 2021 being offered, it’s surprising that the Lions preferred Goff and the Rams’ package of picks instead.



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Sports

The Hurry-Up: Quiet Period Could Be Implemented in April, Caleb Burton Still Locked In With Ohio State, Buckeyes Pick Up PWO

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The Hurry-Up is your nightly dose of updates from the Ohio State football recruiting trail, keeping tabs on the latest from commits and targets from around the country.

Quiet period coming?

We are coming up on a whole calendar year since recruits were able to make official or unofficial visits to schools. (Not including the self-guided tours, or however you’d like to phrase it, that players such as Raesjon Davis, Zen Michalski and other recruits have made to see Ohio State.)

The NCAA’s current dead period runs through April 15, but there could be some important news on the way regarding the recruiting calendar.

Yahoo Sports’ Pete Thamel reported this week via Twitter that it has been recommended to NCAA administrators to implement a quiet period beginning after the April 15 date. This quiet period would run from April 16 to June 30, which would be a crucial game-changer to get things back on track in the recruiting world.

As Thamel notes, during a quiet period on-campus visits – and face-to-face interactions with college coaches while on campus – are allowed.

With how well Ohio State performs in recruiting when allowed in-person interactions, this could be a time – once the news is official – for the Buckeyes to gain some momentum on the recruiting trail this spring and summer.

This is also welcome news for five-star Washington defensive end J.T. Tuimoloau and his camp. Tuimoloau’s father told 247Sports this week that he would be waiting until “at least April” to make a college commitment because he wants to have the opportunity to make visits.

It’s possible Tuimoloau waits even longer in order to take visits and get those on-campus interactions with the coaches at Alabama, Ohio State, Oregon, Washington and USC, his final five schools. That could give each of those programs (most notably Ohio State and Alabama, the two presumed favorites) some time to make their final push for the nation’s No. 3 overall player in the 2021 class.

Buckeyes pick up PWO

Ohio State landed a #BOOM on Thursday night, though of the smaller-stage variety.

Cayden Saunders, a 5-foot-10 running back/cornerback out of Northville (Michigan) High School, announced that he has accepted an academic scholarship at Ohio State and that he will be joining the Buckeyes’ football program as a preferred walk-on.

As Dan pointed out, Saunders’ father previously played for Ohio State and is an agent for one of Ryan Day’s former quarterbacks:

Pretty certain the Buckeyes had a success story with a previous walk-on with the last name Saunders.

Dunn’s fourth star

Safety signee Jantzen Dunn finally got a much-deserved boost in his rankings this week.

Dunn, who is probably the most underrated recruit in the Buckeyes’ 2021 cycle and one of the most underrated in the entire country, was finally given his fourth star by Rivals.

It was a long time coming for Dunn. He is ranked No. 146 overall and No. 7 at safety via 247Sports’ rankings, but Rivals has him all the way down at No. 26 among safeties.

There had been some frustration for a while from Dunn’s camp that he was not rated as highly by Rivals, but he finally got his due. And that led to his nice response on Twitter when he heard the news.

Burton still solid

We already touched on this a couple weeks ago, but there has been a triple-down from one of the Buckeyes’ best recruits in the 2022 class.

Five-star receiver Caleb Burton, who has been committed to Ohio State since Nov. 23, made it clear in mid-January that he “ain’t going nowhere.”

This week, Burton told recruiting analyst CJ Vogel that he is still locked in with the Buckeyes despite Steve Sarkisian becoming Texas’ head coach and that his relationship with Brian Hartline remains as impactful as ever.

Stockton picks Bulldogs

One of Ohio State’s former top quarterback targets in the 2022 class is off the market. Again.

Five-star Georgia quarterback Gunner Stockton, who committed to South Carolina in August before decommitting two weeks ago, has announced his commitment to his home-state Bulldogs.

Stockton is the No. 27 overall player and No. 1 dual-threat quarterback in the country out of the Peach State’s Rabun County High School.

OSU commits named All-Americans

Five Ohio State commits in the 2022 class were named All-Americans this week, as Quinn Ewers, Jaheim Singletary, C.J. Hicks, Gabe Powers and Dasan McCullough were each named Junior All-Americans by MaxPreps.

Singletary was named a first-team defensive All-American while Ewers, Hicks, Powers and McCullough were all second-team selections.

Other Buckeye targets who made the list, among others, include cornerbacks Denver Harris and Will Johnson and defensive lineman Caden Curry.



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World

Biden must wait weekend for State Department pick

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President Biden’s promise to bring the U.S. back to the global stage is being delayed — at least by a few days — in the Senate, where his nominee for secretary of State, Antony BlinkenAntony BlinkenState Dept. to review Trump admin’s decision to label Houthis a terrorist organization Overnight Defense: Austin takes helm at Pentagon | COVID-19 briefing part of Day 1 agenda | Outrage over images of National Guard troops in parking garage Senate confirms Austin to lead Pentagon under Biden MORE, is in confirmation limbo.

Some Senate Democrats have criticized the delay, arguing the Senate should already have had a vote on his confirmation.

“The secretary of State is fourth in the line of succession. Leaving that office vacant is irresponsible,” Sen. Robert MenendezRobert (Bob) MenendezSenate presses Biden’s pick for secretary of State on Iran, China, Russia and Yemen Year-end deal creates American Latino, women’s history museums Lawmakers call for including creation of Latino, women’s history museums in year-end spending deal MORE (D-N.J.), the incoming chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said in floor remarks on Thursday.

The White House on Friday appeared to downplay the delay while thanking the Senate for confirming Biden’s pick for the Pentagon.

“I know that our Secretary of State is just about to get confirmed, or so Sen. [Mitch] McConnell [R-Ky.] tells us,” White House press secretary Jen PsakiJen PsakiBiden under pressure to deliver more COVID-19 shots Biden, Trudeau agree to meet next month Democrats seek answers on impact of Russian cyberattack on Justice Department, Courts MORE said.

It’s been a chaotic few weeks in the Senate, where the power shifted Wednesday when three new Democratic senators were sworn in — including the two who won runoff elections in Georgia earlier this month — along with Vice President Harris.

Harris will cast the tie-breaking vote in the 50-50 Senate, giving Democrats the majority.

But Democrats and Republicans have not agreed on organization rules for the Senate, meaning Republicans still have majorities on some committees.

Battles over the election also contributed to a slow pace on nominations.

The Senate did confirm Biden’s pick as his director of national intelligence, Avril HainesAvril HainesBiden DHS, Intel picks stress need to prioritize cybersecurity after SolarWinds hack Biden Intel chief nominee Avril Haines pledges public report on QAnon threat Former Trump intel chief Coats introduces Biden nominee Haines at hearing MORE, on Thursday. On Friday, it confirmed Secretary of Defense Lloyd AustinLloyd AustinTrump impeachment trial to begin week of Feb. 8 Trump DHS chief argues for swift confirmation of Biden pick amid Hawley hold Overnight Defense: Austin takes helm at Pentagon | COVID-19 briefing part of Day 1 agenda | Outrage over images of National Guard troops in parking garage MORE.

Blinken could be confirmed early next week, and Sen. James Risch (R-Idaho) said there should be a strong bipartisan interest in confirming him.

Monday is the earliest a confirmation vote can happen, according to a Republican Senate aide, who said Risch is working to achieve unanimous consent from members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee to allow the confirmation vote to proceed.

If unanimous consent is not reached, the full committee would vote Monday evening on whether to send Blinken’s confirmation to the Senate floor for a vote. 

Another reason Blinken’s nomination has been delayed is that committee members are working to review his answers to at least 780 questions submitted by lawmakers. Blinken also took part in a nearly five-hour hearing on Tuesday.

In comparison, 550 written questions were submitted to former President TrumpDonald TrumpMcCarthy says he told Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene he disagreed with her impeachment articles against Biden Biden, Trudeau agree to meet next month Trump planned to oust acting AG to overturn Georgia election results: report MORE’s last secretary of State, Mike PompeoMike PompeoState Dept. to review Trump admin’s decision to label Houthis a terrorist organization VOA reinstates White House reporter reassigned after questioning Pompeo Jilani: China ‘sending clear message’ to Biden officials with sanctions that opposition could lead to ‘future pay cut’ MORE. Trump’s first nominee, Rex TillersonRex Wayne TillersonTillerson: ‘We squandered the best opportunity we had on North Korea’ State Department sets up new bureau for cybersecurity and emerging technologies Lawmakers express concern about lack of young people in federal workforce MORE, was given 715.

Secretaries of State John KerryJohn KerryParis Agreement: Biden’s chance to restore international standing Kerry promises Europeans Biden will seek to make up time on climate action OVERNIGHT ENERGY: Biden recommits US to Paris climate accord | Biden nixes Keystone XL permit, halts Arctic refuge leasing | Interior secretary rescinds wilderness protection order before leaving office MORE and Hillary ClintonHillary Diane Rodham ClintonTexas Supreme Court rejects Alex Jones request to toss lawsuits from Sandy Hook parents Paris Agreement: Biden’s chance to restore international standing Samantha Power’s Herculean task: Turning a screw with a rubber screwdriver MORE, who both served in the Obama administration, had to answer 291 and 498 questions, respectively. 

The Republican aide defended the number of questions.

“The chairman does not like to ask questions just to ask questions, they were all substantive, at least the questions that we submitted,” the aide said.

The aide added that the committee is on pace to move Blinken’s nomination faster than Tillerson’s. He was confirmed nearly three weeks after his marathon hearing before the committee. 

“Risch supports unprecedented actions, including a [unanimous consent] agreement that would bypass regular order of the committee,” the Republican aide said of Blinken’s confirmation. 

Absent a confirmed secretary, the State Department is being run by director of the Foreign Service Institute Daniel Smith.

James Dobbins, a senior fellow with the RAND Corporation and who has served as assistant secretary of state for Europe, said the delay on Blinken’s confirmation vote is not “extraordinary at this point, but if it lingered for a few more days, it would become unusual.” 

“The secretary of State is the face of American diplomacy and the person to whom the people who are responsible for the diplomacy of other countries turn to,” he said.

“I think it delays the normalization of relations between the United States and its allies. Also it can delay dealing with, probably not the most urgent problems, but pressing problems with adversaries and other countries as well,” he added.  

Foreign diplomats are eager to engage with Blinken, the Biden administration and their senior staff, after months of a strict no-contact policy between the transition team and foreign governments.

“Obviously there’s a little bit of excitement in capitals, and people wanting to talk to people, and it further delays that,” said one European diplomat, who asked to remain anonymous to speak candidly. 

“It is what it is – it’s just another few days, after a couple of months of not being able to engage with the President of the United States team.”

Despite not having his full team in place, Biden is pushing forward on signing a stack of executive orders that include reversing foreign policy actions by the Trump administration.

This includes rejoining the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Paris Climate Agreement, steps welcomed by U.S. allies.

“WHO is a family of nations and we are all glad that the United States is staying in the family,” Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, director-general of the World Health Organization said during the first meeting with Anthony FauciAnthony FauciOvernight Health Care — Fauci: Lack of facts ‘likely’ cost lives in coronavirus fight | CDC changes COVID-19 vaccine guidance to allow rare mixing of Pfizer, Moderna shots | Senate chaos threatens to slow Biden’s agenda Fauci infuriated by threats to family Poll: Plurality of voters say coronavirus vaccine rollout slower than expected MORE, Biden’s envoy to the WHO. 

Biden is relying on his national security council to engage with close U.S. allies over pressing issues related to Russia, North Korea, Iran and China.

Jake SullivanJake SullivanWhite House: It will be ‘a bit of time’ before Biden’s first foreign trip Biden national security adviser holds introductory calls with foreign counterparts Biden to nix border wall, ‘Muslim ban’ on first day in office MORE, Biden’s national security adviser, held separate introductory calls with senior national security officials from France, Germany and the United Kingdom discussing issues related to China, Iran and Russia.

Sullivan also held a call with the secretary general of Japan’s national security secretariat. Their conversation focused on challenges from COVID-19, China and North Korea. 

One of the most urgent matters that Blinken is expected to address if confirmed is working with Congress to extend the New START nuclear treaty with Russia. It expires Feb. 5. 

The treaty imposes limits on each country’s nuclear weapons arsenal and allows for inspections on both sides to verify compliance. 

White House spokesperson Jen Psaki told reporters Thursday that the president wants to extend the treaty for five years, an announcement that Russia welcomed. 

Blinken, in his confirmation hearing, noted the treaty as one of the first orders of business he would come to the Senate to work on extending. 

“What I can tell you is that I know we will be coming to you very quickly, almost immediately to discuss that,” he said.

 



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US

Trump plotted to pick loyalist as acting AG to help overturn election

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  • Trump reportedly worked with a Justice Department lawyer to try and oust the acting attorney general. 
  • He wanted to replace Jeffrey Rosen with lawyer Jeffrey Clark, The New York Times reported. 
  • Trump backed down after a group of top DOJ leaders said they’d resign if Rosen was fired.
  • Visit Business Insider’s homepage for more stories.

Donald Trump reportedly plotted with a Justice Department lawyer to oust acting Attorney General Jeffrey Rosen so he could place a loyalist who would put pressure on lawmakers in Georgia to overturn the election in his favor, The New York Times reported Friday.

The story recalls Trump’s final efforts to hold on to power in the days leading up to President Joe Biden’s inauguration.

According to The Times’ Katie Benner, Trump and Jeffrey Clark were working on ways to stir up doubts about the election results. Rosen had not cooperated with Trump’s alleged plan, prompting him to seek out a willing participant in Clark, The Times reported.

Top leaders at the Justice Department threatened to resign if Rosen was fired, which forced Trump to abandon the idea, but not before Clark and Rosen made their opposing arguments to Trump, the newspaper reported.

Trump and Republican allies lost several dozen lawsuits attempting to overturn election results.

Read more: Trump’s threat to bolt from the Republican Party could spark a serious legal fight over his ‘gold mine’ list of supporters who have helped fill the GOP coffers with billions of dollars

Allies including pro-Trump attorney Sidney Powell have pushed a baseless conspiracy theory that Dominion Voting Systems switched votes for Trump to votes for Biden in the election. Dominion filed a $1.3 billion defamation lawsuit against Powell earlier this month. 

The Times reported Trump also pressured Rosen to appoint special counsels, specifically one that would investigate Dominion. 

Insider was unable to reach Clark, and the Justice Department did not reply to a request for comment at the time of publication. 

Clark told The Times its report, which was based on interviews with four former Trump officials, had inaccuracies but did not specify what they were. 

“Senior Justice Department lawyers, not uncommonly, provide legal advice to the White House as part of our duties,” Clark said. “All my official communications were consistent with law.”

In December, Rosen and deputy attorney general, Richard Donoghue reportedly denied Clark’s request to have the department hold a news conference and say they were investigating the fraud allegations.

Trump had focused on the state of Georgia, where Biden had won by a small margin. The Trump administration had put pressure and attacked the then US Attorney for the Northern District of Georgia, Byung J. “BJay” Pak. Pak resigned from his role on January 4 and the Justice Department replaced him the next day. 

The Washington Post reported on Thursday the inspector general is now investigating Pak’s sudden departure.

Pak isn’t the only Georgia official Trump tried to pressure. Trump also pleaded with the secretary of state, Brad Raffensperger, to “find” additional votes to help him win. 

Additionally, The Times reported Clark had asked Rosen and Donoghue to send Georgia officials a letter that falsely said the department was investigating the state for voter fraud and that they should overturn Biden’s win. On December 31, Rosen and Donoghue told Clark he was wrong since there was no evidence of any fraud. 

Read more: SCOOP: Trump taps his former chief of staff and impeachment lawyers as the gatekeepers to his papers during his post-presidency

Over that weekend, Clark met with Trump and came back to tell Rosen he would replace him ahead of January 6, when Congress met to certify the votes. 

Rosen refused to step down and worked with White House counsel, Pat Cipollone to schedule a meeting with Trump later that night, The Times reported. 

Rosen, Donoghue, and Clark met with Trump, Cipollone, and his deputy Patrick Philbin. Cipollone ultimately convinced Trump it would be unwise to fire Rosen. 

Trump’s unfounded claims of election fraud have been criticized as the spark that fueled the attempted insurrection on January 6 at the US Capitol. Trump supporters breached the building and clashed with law enforcement, halting the joint session of Congress as lawmakers were set to formalize Biden’s victory in the 2020 election. The riot lead to the deaths of five people. 

The House impeached Trump on a charge of inciting an insurrection. The Senate will soon hold a trial and vote on whether to convict the former president. This is the second impeachment Trump faced in his four years in office. 

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