One of former President Trump's attorneys made the "full Ginsburg" on Sunday—the shorthand for appearing on all the major political shows—and emphasized a new word in his client's defense: "aspirational." As in, Trump's efforts to overturn the 2020 election results were not criminal but "aspirational," says John Lauro, reports the Washington Post. For example:
- On Pence: "What President Trump didn't do is direct Vice President Pence to do anything," Lauro said on CNN's State of the Union, per the New York Times. "He asked him in an aspirational way." The reference is to the allegation that Trump pressured Pence to toss Electoral College votes from some states in his capacity as vice president.
- On Georgia: Similarly, when Trump asked Georgia secretary of state Brad Raffensperger to "find 11,870 votes" so he could win the state, "that was an aspirational ask," said Lauro, per USA Today. "He is entitled to petition even state government."
- Elaborating: "When it comes to political speech, you can not only advocate for a position, but you can take action, you can petition, you can ask even your vice president to pause the vote," said Lauro. "Asking is aspirational. Asking is not action. It's core free speech." He added that what Trump "was doing is within the reality and the realm of free speech. He's asking his vice president, 'What about taking this course of action?'"
(Lauro says any Pence testimony
would actually help Trump, though the former vice president says
he has "no plans" to testify.)
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