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Special Counsel investigation of Trump Mar-a-Lago and 2020 Election federal probes
[link=https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2022/11/18/justice-trump-garland-special-counsel/]Garland names special counsel for Trump Mar-a-Lago, 2020 election probes[/link][/h2]
Jack Smith, currently a war crimes prosecutor at The Hague, tapped to handle politically sensitive Trump cases[/h2]
Based on recent developments, including the former presidents announcement that he is a candidate for president in the next election, and the sitting presidents stated intention to be a candidate as well, I have concluded that it is in the public interest to appoint a special counsel, Garland said at a news conference at the Justice Department.
He insisted the decision would not slow the investigations involving Trump.
A special counsel appointment is the right thing to do, the attorney general said. “The extraordinary circumstances presented here demand it. Mr. Smith is the right choice to complete these matters in an even-handed and urgent manner.
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382 Replies
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Special Counsel Jack Smith statement: The pace of the investigations will not pause or flag under my watch. I will exercise independent judgement and will move the investigations forward expeditiously and thoroughly to whatever outcome the facts and the law dictate.
(Jack Smith also previously indicted a CIA Officer (and secured a conviction) fot mishandling national defense information.)
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Marjorie Taylor Greene calls to impeach Merrick Garland.
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I personally think that they probably have the basis for legitimately indicting him.
Former Attorney General Bill Barr, on PBS, about Donald Trumps legal issues.
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[link=https://twitter.com/Acyn/status/1593781984966352896]https://twitter.com/Acyn/.atus/1593781984966352896[/link]
Trump was acquitted in the Senate impeachment … therefore the Special Counsel is “double jeopardy”
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I was described by Steve Bannon (and, sigh, many others) as a pit bull. Jack Smith makes me look like a golden retriever puppy. So tenacious and fearless. And apolitical and ethical.
Andrew Weissmann, former lead prosecutor on the Mueller probe, [link=https://twitter.com/aweissmann_/status/1593783449952944128?s=46&t=qHp6ykucN-z-j2d_oKMInA]on Twitter[/link].
I was described by Steve Bannon (and, sigh, many others) as a pit bull. Jack Smith makes me look like a golden retriever puppy. So tenacious and fearless. And apolitical and ethical.
— Andrew Weissmann (weissmann11 on Threads/Insta)🌻 (@AWeissmann_) November 19, 2022
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I saw some of the Bill Barr. Now after he shat upon Trump and said what he said. All the he could be indicted jazz. He said he wouldnt rule out voting for him. GOP in a nutshell. Yeah Trumps a criminal but were gonna vote for him anyway.
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From Ruth Marcus’ lips to god’s ears …
[link=https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2022/11/19/garland-special-counsel-jack-smith-trump/]https://www.washingtonpos…nsel-jack-smith-trump/[/link]
For those concerned that the appointment of a Special Counsel will delay things: just the opposite, Weissmann [link=https://mobile.twitter.com/AWeissmann_/status/1593949435775557634]wrote[/link]. Jack is a super fast, no-nonsense, and lets-cut-to-the-chase kind of guy. And now, with less DOJ bureaucracy in decision-making, the investigations can move faster.
That may be over-optimistic, but Trump should not sleep soundly. As a prosecutor, you have to be able to admit that if its not there, its not there, Smith [link=https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/sdut-dojs-elite-public-integrity-unit-gets-new-leader-2010aug30-story.html]said[/link] when he took the public integrity job in 2010. I think thats hard for people to do and having been a prosecutor for 15 years that is something I can do.
A fair point, and an important one. Still, logic suggests that the arrival of a hard-charging prosecutor is an ominous sign for Trump: [b]Smith didnt leave his job as a war crimes prosecutor in The Hague to preside over a non-case.[/b][/QUOTE]
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Mar-a-Lago prosecution analysis report[link=https://www.justsecurity.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/just-security-mar-a-lago-model-prosecution-memorandum-november-2022.pdf] from Just Security
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We determine there is strong precedent for the DOJ [Justice Department] to charge Trump. There are many felony cases that the DOJ pursued based on conduct that was significantly less egregious than the present set of facts in the Trump case. In short, we conclude that if Trump were not charged, it would be a major deviation from how defendants are typically treated.
Aggravating factors in Trumps case include the length of time of his retention of government documents, the volume of government documents, the highly sensitive nature of the documents, the number of warnings he received, his obstructive conduct, and his involving other individuals in his scheme.”“Our conclusion is that there is strong precedent for the DOJ bringing a criminal case against Trump. The DOJ precedent indicates that to decline to bring a case against Trump would be treating Trump far more favorably than other defendants, which would be antithetical to the rule of law and to the principles of the Justice Manual.”
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[b]Mar-a-Lago Model Prosecution Memo 126 Conclusion[/b]: “The Departments own precedent makes clear that charging Trump would be to treat him comparably to others who engaged in similar criminal behavior, often with far fewer aggravating factors than the former president. Based on the publicly available information to date, a powerful case exists for charging Trump under the federal criminal statutes discussed in this memorandum.”
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[h1][/h1]
11th Circuit hearing starting soon on to rule on DOJ request to end special master in Trump document case.
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[link=https://www.reuters.com/world/us/trump-asks-court-unseal-search-warrant-affidavit-documents-probe-2022-11-22/]https://www.reuters.com/w…ents-probe-2022-11-22/[/link]
Former U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday asked a federal court in Florida to provide him and his lawyers with a complete version of the affidavit that federal investigators used to obtain a search warrant for his Florida property in August.
Prosecutors are conducting a criminal probe into the retention of government records at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort after his presidency ended.
The request to unseal the search warrant affidavit was made to U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon in Florida.
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[h1]Trump Lawyers Face Plant Into Eleventh Circuit. Again.[/h1]
[link=https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/redirect-to/?redirect=https%3A%2F%2Fabovethelaw.com%2F2022%2F11%2Ftrump-lawyers-face-plant-into-eleventh-circuit-again%2F]https://abovethelaw.com/2022/11/trum…circuit-again/[/link]
It was a rough one.
Interesting (and illustrative) exchange between Trump’s lawyer Jim Trusty as the Judge.
Trusty started talking about the “raid” on Mar-a-Lago and the judge (a Trump appointee) cut him off asking if that was really the correct term for executing a search warrant.
Trusty must have had his remarks prepared because for the rest of the time he awkardly self-edited, getting “raid” partly or all the way out only to stammer back to search warrant.
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The Chief Judge also pointed out that, applying this logic, We would have to be concerned about the precedent we create that would allow any target of a federal investigation to go into a district court and have it entertain this. Indeed since Judge Cannon threw her robe over the grenade of this investigation, Trump allies Mike Lindell and John Eastman have demanded special masters in their own cases, too, although without success.
Indeed, there was very little for Sopan Joshi, on loan from the US Solicitor General, to do. Judges Brasher and Grant asked a couple of questions about Trumps need for the documents seized, one of the lesser [i]Richey[/i] factors, to which Joshi responded that Trump never argued that although Judge Cannon did argue it for him and anyway, the government already gave him most of his stuff back. Questions from Pryor were confined to the Aint this some bullsh*t? variety.
In sum it was a very bad day for Trusty and his client. And a busy one, too, since they just this morning [link=https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.flsd.618763/gov.uscourts.flsd.618763.189.0.pdf]asked[/link] Judge Cannon to unseal the affidavit in support of the warrant and let Trump see all the gory details of the governments pending investigation. This motion was filed despite Magistrate Judge Reinharts prior [link=https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.flsd.617854/gov.uscourts.flsd.617854.94.0_15.pdf]ruling[/link] that the Government has met its burden of showing a compelling reason/good cause to seal portions of the Affidavit because disclosure would reveal (1) the identities of witnesses, law enforcement agents, and uncharged parties, (2) the investigations strategy, direction, scope, sources, and methods, and (3) grand jury information protected by Federal Rule of Criminal Procedure 6(e).
Lets take a wild shot in the dark here that the affidavit is going to stay redacted and that special master Judge Raymond Dearie is about to find himself with some extra time on his hands. Because its only Tuesday, but this turkey appears to be [i]just about[/i] cooked.
Gobble gobble!
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People hoping we don’t see a redux of Mueller’s missteps —
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[b]Andrew Weissman, one of the prosecutors on the Mueller team[/b], [link=https://www.nytimes.com/2022/11/22/opinion/trump-special-counsel-mueller.html]writing in an o[/link][link=https://www.nytimes.com/2022/11/22/opinion/trump-special-counsel-mueller.html]p-ed in The New York Times[/link][color=”#2b2c30″]:
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One lesson from the Mueller investigation is that the traditional Justice Department mantra We try our cases in court can be taken too literally, with devastating consequences. But the mantra does not mean letting only one side shape a narrative and leaving the public with an abundance of unanswered questions.There is surely a middle ground.”
Neither the current special counsel regulations nor Justice Department rules require Mr. Smith to take a vow of silence with the American public. His ability to explain and educate will be critical to the acceptance of the departments mission by the American public. It will permit Mr. Smith to be heard directly and not through the gauze of pundits and TV anchors; it will allow the public to directly assess Mr. Smith, a heretofore little-known figure; and it will permit Mr. Smith to counteract those strong forces seeking to discredit or misleadingly shape the narrative about the investigations.
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[b]Barbara McQuade, former U.S. attorney: (quoted in the Hill}
[/b]Robert Mueller had such a sterling reputation in the legal community. And yet that wasnt enough to prevent people from making all kinds of wild allegations about his movies.”
{But adhering to Justice Department tradition and largely staying quiet about the case} allowed [then Attorney General] William Barr and Donald Trump to distort the findings of Robert Muller.”
Because Robert Mueller was so wedded to the rules and didnt speak out loud, I think it was in effective disservice to the American people. I think his intentions were good. But I think that he came up during a time when people in public life acted in good faith. And now we find ourselves in a time when people are willing to twist the facts to suit their purposes. And so the way to combat that tendency is with facts and education.Matt Miller, former Justice Department spokesperson during the Obama administration: {While Mueller may have been too reticent to speak,} theres a danger in overcorrecting.
Theres a big difference between [the Mueller] case and this one, which is this one can end in a prosecution. So to some extent, a special counsel doesnt need to worry about the press coverage hes getting. He needs to worry about bringing a case that can stick. (He also sees likely overwhelming evidence of Trumps guilt in the documents case)
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[link=https://twitter.com/SykesCharlie/status/1596893988472360960]https://twitter.com/Sykes…us/1596893988472360960[/link]
Charlie Sykes on Trump’s statement on the special counsel: “Totally normal and not at all dangerously deranged.”
[img]https://pbs.twimg.com/media/FilOmwGXEAM9X2R?format=jpg&name=large[/img]
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[h3][link=https://www.thedailybeast.com/trump-might-have-to-face-his-worst-nightmarea-dc-jury]Special Counsel may Investigate Trump IRS Audits of Comey and McCabe[/link][/h3] [b]Would The Indictment Cover Anything Beyond The Espionage Act? [/b]Maybe.
General John KellyTrumps former chief of staffpublicly stated that the former president [link=https://www.nytimes.com/2022/11/13/us/politics/trump-irs-investigations.html]demanded[/link] that the IRS conduct audits of his perceived enemies, including former FBI Director James Comey and former FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe.
If Trump made this demand while he was president, that is an unambiguous felony. [link=https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/26/7217]Section 7217 of Title 26[/link] of the United States Code makes it a crime for the President to request, directly or indirectly, any officer or employee of the Internal Revenue Service to conduct or terminate an audit or other investigation of any particular taxpayer with respect to the tax liability of such taxpayer.
A president who unlawfully seeks to have an individual audited is subject to up to five years in prison. The crime does not require that the IRS actually carry out the audit. The crime is completed with the mere request.
Here, however, there is strong evidence that FPOTUSs illegal demand was actually carried out. As [link=https://www.nytimes.com/2022/07/06/us/politics/comey-mccabe-irs-audits.html]reported earlier[/link] this summer, both Comey and McCabe were subjected to highly unusual IRS audits. The odds of an individual randomly being subjected to this type of audit are similar to being struck by lightning. For both to be the subject of special audit by happenstance is about as likely as a [link=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qrv9c-udCrg]whale falling[/link] from the sky and landing in the middle of a mountain range.…
Based on my training and experience as an Assistant U.S. Attorney who prosecuted tax offenses, I expect that each IRS employee along the chain of command kept detailed notes and records of who ordered them to conduct the audit, and on the facts that were cited to support that audit demand. I would not be surprised if each of those IRS employees cooperated with the DOJ, with all fingers pointing in Trumps direction.
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11th circuit overturns judge cannon
AP)
Trump Mar-a-Lago special master struck down by appeals courtIn addition to potentially slowing down the investigation, the special-master review provided Trumps lawyers with a public platform to make their arguments about why they believed the Mar-a-Lago search was unfair. While those arguments did not hold much sway with judges, they may have nonetheless buoyed Trumps political base.
The three judges two of whom were nominated by Trump did not back down from that stance in their written opinion Thursday. They said they could not issue an order that allows any subject of a search warrant to block government investigations after the execution of the warrant.
Nor can we write a rule that allows only former presidents to do so, the Thursday opinion read. Either approach would be a radical reordering of our caselaw limiting the federal courts involvement in criminal investigations. And both would violate bedrock separation-of-powers limitations.In considering the arguments by Trumps lawyers, the judges wrote, we are faced with a choice: apply our usual test; drastically expand the availability of equitable jurisdiction for every subject of a search warrant; or carve out an unprecedented exception in our law for former presidents. We choose the first option. So the case must be dismissed.
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A federal judge has ordered former top Trump White House lawyers to provide additional grand jury testimony, rejecting former President Donald Trumps privilege claims in the Justice Departments criminal investigation of his effort to overturn the 2020 election, people briefed on the matter said.
Pat Cipollone, the Trump White House counsel, and his deputy, Patrick Philbin, appeared in September before the grand jury in Washington, DC, as part of the Justice Department probe, which is now being overseen by newly appointed special counsel Jack Smith.
Cipollone and Philbin declined to answer some questions at that time, citing Trumps claims of executive and attorney-client privilege.
[link=https://www.cnn.com/2022/12/01/polit…awyers-testify]https://www.cnn.com/2022/…polit…awyers-testify[/link] -
Im enjoying the shift to the positive in the posts that make me smile v frown.
Theres really only one frown creator left and they have boxed themselves into a corner. This place has improved immensely in the last few months. Thanks everyone.-
Cippilone and Philbin have been ordered to *fully* respond to Grand Jury questions. Ya know, the ones where they said I cant get into what the president said.
[link=https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/redirect-to/?redirect=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cnn.com%2F2022%2F12%2F01%2Fpolitics%2Fcipollone-philbin-trump-lawyers-testify]https://www.cnn.com/2022/12/01/polit…awyers-testify[/link]A federal judge has ordered former top Trump [link=https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/redirect-to/?redirect=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cnn.com%2F2022%2F10%2F25%2Fpolitics%2Ftrump-firewall-justice-department-cipollone-philbin-secret-grand-jury%2Findex.html]White House lawyers[/link] to provide additional grand jury testimony, rejecting former President [link=https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/redirect-to/?redirect=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cnn.com%2Fspecials%2Fpolitics%2Fpresident-donald-trump-45]Donald Trump[/link]s privilege claims in the Justice Departments [link=https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/redirect-to/?redirect=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cnn.com%2F2022%2F11%2F15%2Fpolitics%2Fdonald-trump-investigations-lawsuits%2Findex.html]criminal investigation[/link] of his effort to overturn the 2020 election, people briefed on the matter said.
Pat Cipollone, the Trump White House counsel, and his deputy, Patrick Philbin, appeared in September before the grand jury in Washington, DC, as part of the Justice Department probe, which is now being overseen by newly appointed special counsel Jack Smith.
Cipollone and Philbin declined to answer some questions at that time, citing Trumps claims of executive and attorney-client privilege.
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More smiles. Keep up the good work.
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[h3][link=https://www.msnbc.com/opinion/msnbc-opinion/donald-trump-face-charges-oath-keepers-rcna59962]Opinion: Donald Trump ought to face the same charges the Oath Keepers did [/link][/h3]
The jury accepted the governments argument that a defendant need not have entered the Capitol on Jan. 6 to be guilty of obstructing Congress or guilty of seditious conspiracy. The jury also accepted the governments argument that the defendants failure to stop the confirmation of the Electoral College vote tally made them no less guilty. Rhodes, who was in Washington that day, [link=https://www.reuters.com/legal/oath-keepers-facing-seditious-conspiracy-trial-us-capitol-attack-2022-09-20/]never entered[/link] the Capitol. He [link=https://www.reuters.com/legal/oath-keepers-facing-seditious-conspiracy-trial-us-capitol-attack-2022-09-20/]denied[/link] ordering others to breach the Capitol and claimed they were stupid to have done so, but the jury didnt buy his attempt to distance himself from that days violence.
The jury accepting those arguments ought to worry Trump, adviser Roger Stone, [link=https://www.msnbc.com/msnbc-prime/watch/why-mark-meadows-may-have-more-criminal-exposure-than-trump-and-why-trump-should-worry-144869957711]former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows[/link], former national security adviser Michael Flynn and others in that orbit.
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On Jan. 6, Trump the Justice Department could argue incited a crowd that he [link=https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/live-blog/january-6-hearings-live-updates-day-9-rcna51978]knew to be armed[/link] to go with him to the Capitol. He told those in attendance [link=https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/remarks-supporters-prior-the-storming-the-united-states-capitol]if you dont fight like hell youre not going to have a country anymore[/link]. We dont know if the committee or the Justice Department has seen more evidence that could support a charge of sedition against the former president, but we know that Trump spread disinformation about a stolen and rigged election and that he [link=https://www.nytimes.com/2022/06/16/us/trump-pence-election-jan-6.html]tried pressuring Vice President Mike Pence[/link], the president of the Senate, out of certifying election results. That sounds like the framework for charges of either obstructing Congress or obstructing an official act to me.
There are always investigative gaps in a case of this complexity and magnitude. Often, such gaps are filled when someone with first-hand knowledge cooperates. Thats another reason why the Oath Keepers convictions may prove valuable in the special counsels investigation into Trump and his White House. The Oath Keepers who are staring at decades in prison might decide that cooperating with prosecutors investigating Trump is in their best interest and their next best move.
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Two out of three smile posts today. Thanks again.
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[b]Trump Paying the Legal Bills of Mar-a-Lago Witnesses[/b][/h1]
Donald Trumps political action committee is paying legal bills for some key witnesses involved in the Justice Department investigation into whether Trump mishandled classified documents, obstructed the investigation or destroyed government records, the [link=https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2022/12/05/trump-witnesses-legal-bills-pac/?utm_source=alert&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=wp_news_alert_revere&location=alert]Washington Post[/link] reports.
The witnesses include Kash Patel, who has testified in front of the grand jury and is key to Trumps defense, along with Walt Nauta, a potentially critical prosecution witness.
Nauta, a Trump valet, has told FBI agents he was instructed by the former president to move boxes at Mar-a-Lago, even as government investigators were trying to recover classified documents at that private club and residence. -
[h1][b]Special Counsel Subpoenas Officials in Three States[/b][/h1]
Special counsel Jack Smith has subpoenaed local officials in Arizona, Michigan and Wisconsin three states that were central to former president Donald Trumps failed plan to stay in power following the 2020 election for any and all communications with Trump, his campaign and a long list of aides and allies, the [link=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2022/12/06/jack-smith-trump-communications-subpoenas/?utm_source=alert&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=wp_news_alert_revere&location=alert]Washington Post[/link] reports.
The subpoenas show that Smith is extending the Justice Departments examination of the circumstances leading up to the Capitol attack to include local election officials and their potential interactions with the former president and his representatives.
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[h1][b]Trumps Lawyers Search His Properties for Documents[/b][/h1]
Lawyers for former president Donald Trump conducted a search of at least two of his properties for classified materials in recent weeks, after they were instructed by a federal judge to attest they had fully complied with a May grand jury subpoena to turn over all materials bearing classified markings, the [link=https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2022/12/07/trump-tower-bedminster-records-search/]Washington Post[/link] reports.
Trumps legal team hired an outside firm to carry out the search of his golf club in Bedminster, N.J., and, more recently, Trump Tower in New York.
The team also offered the FBI the opportunity to observe the search, but the offer was declined It would be unusual for federal agents to monitor a search of someones property conducted by anyone other than another law enforcement agency.
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[b]Items with classified markings found at Trump storage unit in Florida[/b]
[i]The former presidents lawyers have told federal authorities no classified documents were found in additional searches of Trump Tower in New York and his golf club in Bedminster, N.J.[/i]
[link=https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/redirect-to/?redirect=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonpost.com%2Fnation%2F2022%2F12%2F07%2Ftrump-tower-bedminster-records-search%2F]https://www.washingtonpost.com/natio…ecords-search/[/link]WaPo: People familiar with the matter said the storage unit had a mix of boxes, gifts, suits and clothes, among other things. It was suits and swords and wrestling belts and all sorts of things, this person said. To my knowledge, he has never even been to that storage unit. I dont think anyone in Trump world could tell you whats in that storage unit.
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[link=https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/trump-team-making-plea-for-immunity-jan-6-lawsuits]Washington Examiner
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[h1][b]Trump team to make plea for immunity in three Jan. 6 Civil lawsuits[/b][/h1]D.C. District Court Judge Amit Mehta wrote in his ruling in February that Trump’s remarks prior to the riot is the essence of civil conspiracy” since the former president said those at the protest, and himself, were working “towards a common goal.”
“To deny a President immunity from civil damages is no small step,” the judge wrote. “The court well understands the gravity of its decision. But the alleged facts of this case are without precedent.”
Now, Trump’s legal team is urging the court to reverse Mehta’s February ruling. The team also wants the appeals court to forward the case back to Mehta so he can potentially remove Trump as a defendant.[/QUOTE]
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[link=https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2022/12/08/trump-contempt-mar-a-lago-records/]https://www.washingtonpos…pt-mar-a-lago-records/[/link]
Justice Department asks judge to hold Trump team in contempt over Mar-a-Lago case[/h1]
Prosecutors have urged a federal judge to hold Donald Trumps office in contempt of court for failing to fully comply with a May subpoena to return all classified documents in his possession, according to people familiar with the matter a sign of how contentious the private talks have become over whether the former president still holds any secret papers.
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The request came after months of mounting frustration from the Justice Department with Trumps team frustration that spiked in June after the former presidents lawyers provided assurances that a diligent search had been conducted for classified documents at his Mar-a-Lago Club and residence. But the FBI amassed evidence suggesting and later confirmed through a court-authorized search that many more remained.
One of the key areas of disagreement centers on the Trump legal teams repeated refusal to designate a custodian of records to sign a document attesting that all classified materials have been returned to the federal government, according to two of these people. The Justice Department has repeatedly sought an unequivocal sworn written assurance from Trumps team that all such documents have been returned, and Trumps team has been unwilling to designate a custodian of records to sign such a statement while also giving assurances that they have handed documents back.[/QUOTE]
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[link=https://twitter.com/NormEisen/status/1602314963598671873]https://twitter.com/NormE…us/1602314963598671873[/link]
Norm Eisen: “Judge Cannon dismisses the special master proceeding that she never should’ve initiated This is sweet vindication for those of us who analyzed from the start this day would come for the rule of law It also means Trump is once again on the fast track to prosecution”
[img]https://pbs.twimg.com/media/FjyQBqqXoAIdAa4?format=png&name=900×900[/img]
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[h3][link=https://talkingpointsmemo.com/feature/a-plot-to-overturn-an-american-election]The Meadows Texts: A Plot To Overturn An American Election[/link][/h3]
[link=https://talkingpointsmemo.com/feature/a-plot-to-overturn-an-american-election]TPM[/link] obtained a new trove of Mark Meadows text messages which provide a real-time record of the plot to overturn the 2020 election.TPM has obtained the 2,319 text messages that Mark Meadows, who was President Trumps last White House chief of staff, turned over to the House select committee investigating the Jan. 6 attack. Today, we are publishing The Meadows Texts, a series based on an in-depth analysis of these extraordinary and disturbing communications.
The vast majority of Meadows texts described in this series are being made public for the very first time. They show the senior-most official in the Trump White House communicating with members of Congress, state-level politicians, and far-right activists as they work feverishly to overturn Trumps loss in the 2020 election. The Meadows texts illustrate in moment-to-moment detail an authoritarian effort to undermine the will of the people and upend the American democratic system as we know it.
The text messages, obtained from multiple sources, offer new insights into how the assault on the election was rooted in deranged internet paranoia and undemocratic ideology. They show Meadows and other high-level Trump allies reveling in wild conspiracy theories, violent rhetoric, and crackpot legal strategies for refusing to certify Joe Bidens victory. They expose the previously unknown roles of some members of Congress, local politicians, activists and others in the plot to overturn the election. Now, for the first time, many of those figures will be named and their roles will be described in their own words.
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TPM is kicking off this series with an exclusive story showing that the log includes more than 450 messages with 34 Republican members of Congress.
[link=https://talkingpointsmemo.com/feature/mark-meadows-exchanged-texts-with-34-members-of-congress-about-plans-to-overturn-the-2020-election][b]Mark Meadows Exchanged Texts With 34 Members Of Congress About Plans To Overturn The 2020 Election
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Meadows text log shows what the scheme to reverse the election results looked like behind the scenes, revealing new details about which members of Congress helped spearhead the efforts and the strategies they deployed. The members who messaged Meadows about challenging the election included some of the highest-profile figures on the right flank in Congress, such as [b]Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX), Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH), and Rep. Mo Brooks (R-AL)[/b], all of whom are identified as playing leading roles in the effort to undo Trumps defeat.
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Meadows messages also provide an indication of the support the election objection received from right-wing dark money groups. The text log shows how the Republican efforts to fight the electoral certification at the Capitol became more organized and gained steam in the days after Bidens victory. On Nov. 9, Edward Corrigan, the president and CEO of the Conservative Partnership Institute, wrote Meadows to say Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) would be holding a meeting about legal strategies with his colleagues at the organizations Capitol Hill townhouse.
[i]Below is a list of all of the members of Congress identified in Meadows text message log. We have also included details about whether we were able to verify the contact information associated with their names and our efforts to include their comments on this story. [/i]
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[ol][*][b]Rep. Andy Biggs (R-AZ) [/b]Biggs number was identified by committee investigators and independently confirmed by TPM. Biggs did not respond to a request for comment. [*][b]Rep. Mike Kelly (R-PA) [/b]Kellys number was identified by committee investigators and independently verified through public records by TPM. Kelly did not respond to a request for comment. [*][b]Rep. Billy Long (R-MO) [/b]Longs number was identified by committee investigators and independently verified through public records by TPM. Long did not respond to a request for comment. [*][b]Rep. Warren Davidson (R-OH) [/b]Davidsons number was identified by committee investigators and independently verified through public records by TPM. Davidson did not respond to a request for comment. [*][b]Rep. Chip Roy (R-TX) [/b]Roy, who ultimately [link=https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2021/01/07/us/elections/electoral-college-biden-objectors.html]did not vote[/link] to object to the election results, [link=https://www.texastribune.org/2022/04/15/chip-roy-2020-election-texts/]previously confirmed[/link] he sent the texts Meadows provided to the committee when CNN reported on his messages. When asked about this story, a Roy spokesperson directed TPM to an earlier [link=https://twitter.com/chiproytx/status/1515043388415959044]response[/link].[*][b]Rep. Brian Babin (R-TX) [/b]Babins number was identified by committee investigators. TPM was unable to independently verify that the number belongs to him. Babin did not respond to a request for comment. [*][b]Sen. Kevin Cramer (R-ND) [/b]Cramer, who ultimately [link=https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2021/01/07/us/elections/electoral-college-biden-objectors.html]did not vote[/link] to object to the election results, spoke to TPM for this story and his comments are included above. [*][b]Rep. Mark Green (R-TN) [/b]Greens number was identified by committee investigators and confirmed by TPM. His office provided a statement which was included in the story above. [*][b]Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-TX) [/b] Gohmerts number was identified by committee investigators and independently verified through public records by TPM. Gohmert and his office did not return requests for comment. [*][b]Rep. Greg Murphy (R-NC) [/b] Murphys number was identified by committee investigators and independently verified through public records by TPM. Murphy and his office did not return requests for comment. [*][b]Rep. Paul Gosar (R-AZ) [/b]Committee investigators identified Gosar as using multiple phone numbers and an email address to text Mark Meadows. TPM has independently verified one of the numbers as well as the email. Gosars office provided a statement for this story, part of which is included above. [*][b]Rep. Ralph Norman (R-SC) [/b]Normans number was identified by committee investigators and independently confirmed by TPM. He spoke to us for this story and his comments are detailed above. [*][b]Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) [/b]Lee, who ultimately [link=https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2021/01/07/us/elections/electoral-college-biden-objectors.html]did not vote[/link] to object to the election results, [link=https://www.abc4.com/news/politics/sen-mike-lee-addresses-texts-related-to-2020-election/]has confirmed[/link] he sent the texts Meadows provided to the committee that were identified as coming from his phone. Lee and his office did not respond to a request for comment on this story. [*][b]Rep. Kevin Brady (R-TX) [/b]Bradys number was identified by committee investigators and independently confirmed by TPM. In a response that is included in this story, a spokesperson for Brady stressed that he [link=https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2021/01/07/us/elections/electoral-college-biden-objectors.html]did not vote[/link] to object to the election results. [*][b]Rep. Scott Perry (R-PA) [/b]Perrys number was identified by committee investigators. TPM was unable to independently verify that the number belongs to him. Perry and his office did not respond to a request for comment. [*][b]Rep. Ted Budd (R-NC) [/b]Gohmerts number was identified by committee investigators and independently verified through public records by TPM. Budd and his office did not return requests for comment. [*][b]Rep. Tom Emmer (R-MN) [/b]Emmers number was identified by committee investigators and independently verified through public records by TPM. He ultimately [link=https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2021/01/07/us/elections/electoral-college-biden-objectors.html]did not vote[/link] to object to the election results. Emmer and his office did not return requests for comment.[*][b]Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH)[/b] Jordans number was identified by committee investigators. TPM was unable to independently verify that the number belongs to him. Jordan and his office did not respond to a request for comment. [*][b]Rep. Richard Hudson (R-NC) [/b]Hudsons number was identified by committee investigators and independently confirmed by TPM. A spokesperson requested to see the texts identified as coming from Hudson in the Meadows log. They did not respond to subsequent requests for comment. [*][b]Rep. Jody Hice (R-GA) [/b]Hices number was identified by committee investigators and independently verified through public records by TPM. A spokesperson provided a comment, which is included in the story above. [*][b]Rep. Barry Loudermilk (R-GA) [/b] Loudermilks number was identified by committee investigators and independently confirmed by TPM. He did not respond to a request for comment. [*][b]Sen. Ron Johnson (R-WI) [/b]Committee investigators identified Johnson, who ultimately [link=https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2021/01/07/us/elections/electoral-college-biden-objectors.html]did not vote[/link] to object to the election results, using an email address that was confirmed by TPM. A Johnson spokesperson also issued a statement saying, that he saw no scenario in which any of Bidens electors would be disallowed. He also believes it is indisputable that there were a number of election irregularities that need to be addressed. [*][b]Sen. David Perdue (R-GA) [/b]Perdues number was identified by committee investigators and independently confirmed by TPM. Perdue, who left office on January 3, 2021 and was not present for the electoral certification, declined to comment on record. [*][b]Rep. Rick Allen (R-GA) [/b] Allens number was identified by committee investigators. TPM was unable to independently verify that the number belongs to him. Allen and his office did not respond to a request for comment. [*][b]Rep. Bob Gibbs (R-OH) [/b]Gibbs number was identified by committee investigators and independently verified through public records by TPM. Gibbs and his office did not respond to a request for comment. [*][b]Rep. Mo Brooks (R-AL) [/b] Brooks number was identified by committee investigators and independently confirmed by TPM. He defended his actions in a phone interview that is included in the story above. [*][b]Rep. Mike Johnson (R-LA) [/b]Johnsons number was identified by committee investigators and independently verified through public records by TPM. Johnson and his office did not respond to a request for comment. [*][b]Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) [/b]Cruzs number was identified by committee investigators and independently verified through public records by TPM. A spokesperson for Cruz declined to comment on this story. [*][b]Sen. Cynthia Lummis (R-WY)[/b] Lummis phone number was identified by committee investigators and independently confirmed by TPM. She sent us a text message that is included in the story above. [*][b]Rep. Marjorie Taylor-Greene (R-GA) [/b] Greenes number was identified by committee investigators and independently confirmed by TPM. Her office did not respond to a request for comment. [*][b]Rep. Barry Moore (R-AL) [/b] Moores number was identified by committee investigators and independently verified through public records by TPM. Moore and his office did not respond to a request for comment. [*][b]Rep. Fred Keller (R-PA) [/b] Kellers number was identified by committee investigators and independently confirmed by TPM. Keller and his office did not respond to a request for comment. [*][b]Rep. Dan Bishop (R-NC) [/b]Bishops number was identified by committee investigators and confirmed by TPM. He provided a statement defending [link=https://danbishopforms.house.gov/uploadedfiles/electoral_count_statement_final_pdf_2021.pdf]his objection to the election results[/link]: My analysis of the tactics, purposes and possible impacts of the Democrats national litigation campaign to disrupt 2020 election operations remains 100% factual and accurate. Consequently, I have no regrets about publishing it, Bishop said. [*][b]Rep. Andrew Clyde (R-GA)[/b] Clydes number was identified by committee investigators and independently confirmed by TPM. His office responded to a request for comment by pointing out some of his messages were reported by CNN. They did not respond to questions about the substance of his remarks. [/ol]
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