They were planning on installing Sleepy as an easily-manipulable front for the Deep State - Obama's third term. Heels-Up was insurance against getting rid of him, just like Sleepy was insurance against getting rid of Obama.
Unfortunately for the Deep State, Sleepy's been a disaster beyond their imaginings. And their Heels-Up "insurance" is even worse. It's a little like watching an old Looney Tunes cartoon with Wiley E Coyote.