Had a feeling it would be the carrot and the stick.
Take the bribe to quit, Joe, or we'll 25th you!!!
They were panicked because the money was drying up.
No money for down ticket campaigns.
No money to finance the planned steals and other dirty tricks.
They were all going to lose, so Joe had to be thrown under the bus, so the rest of the crooks could have a chance.
As soon as Joe agrees to go, millions come flowing in to Democrat bank accounts.