The damning text messages to Trump chief of staff Mark Meadows revealed that several Republican lawmakers were involved in the plot to overturn the 2020 elections. One of the key organizers of the “Stop the Steal” rally that preceded the Capitol insurrection named the GOP lawmakers he contacted ahead of Jan. 6.
A Politico report revealed that rally organizer Ali Alexander named the Republican lawmakers he communicated with prior to Jan. 6. Alexander reportedly revealed the names of the lawmakers involved in a lawsuit he filed to block the House Committee from accessing his phone records. In a court filing made Friday, Alexander admitted to having conversations with Reps. Paul Gosar and Mo Brooks.
Alexander also mentioned Rep. Andy Biggs but noted that he contacted the congressman in person rather than through messages or calls.
“Alexander’s testimony underscores the degree to which the select committee continues to probe the roles of their Republican colleagues in efforts to promote former President Donald Trump’s baseless claims of election fraud – and their potential support for fringe figures who helped gather people in Washington on Jan 6, the day Congress was required to certify the election results,” wrote Kyle Cheney.
Cheney added that while the panel has yet to subpoena the lawmakers, they have been asking witnesses about Gosar, Biggs, Brooks, as well as Rep. Rick Perry, who suggested a strategy to use the DOJ to push the fraud claims. Alexander also revealed that he was in contact with Trump campaign official Kimberly Guilfoyle, the partner of Donald Trump Jr. on the day of the insurrection, but noted that it was only a courtesy call as Guilfoyle supposedly only called to thank him for organizing the rally.
Among the high-profile individuals in the former president’s inner circle that were subpoenaed by the House Committee is Roger Stone. According to former US attorney Barbara McQuade, the House Committee investigating the Capitol insurrection already has a way to get Stone to reveal the twice-impeached former president’s involvement in the riots.
Speaking on MSNBC, McQuade explained that Stone is likely to continue invoking the 5th Amendment so as not to incriminate himself and that it would be for the benefit of the DOJ to grant him immunity from any related criminal charges.