Even as the mob ran screaming and smashing through the capitol on 6 January, it was clear this was a coup attempt. On the basis of sometimes ridiculous pretexts, the circle around Trump intended to steal the election and seize power. Many, including Utah senator Mike Lee and South Carolina’s Lindsey Graham, reportedly knew the agenda. At 1:09 p.m. that day, the Capitol police chief said he wanted to declare an emergency and call in the National Guard. That day, Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell noted that to overturn the election results would send democracy into a “death spiral”.

Source: The Guardian December 16, 2021 17:03 UTC