This. The coup had layers of plots: state level challenges & recounts, fake electors, law suits, putting pressure on party & state officials, mob pressure, & federal level challenges, counting schemes, legal schemes, putting pressure on officials, incitement & insurrection.

It's easy to say 'look here: he said 'peacefully and patriotically,' so he didn't coup' or 'what the mob did isn't a part of the rest of the plot' & etc (a rhetorical strategy called 'dissociative': falsely separate elements of the plot from the whole). That's a rhetorical trick.

I think of this as the 'legal coup' strategy & 'violent coup' strategy. Trump, et al wanted the *appearance* of legality for their coup, they wanted it to work through the states/courts/Pence, but when those plots failed, they went with 'fight like hell': twitter.com/jenmercieca/st…

The coup was multi-level and led by party elites, especially including Trump. It was carried out against everyday Americans (election workers), party officials (low & high level), & the American voters, the Constitution, & rule of law.

They’ll do it again, they’re doing it now.