WASHINGTON — A new series of text messages released Monday between former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows and allies of former President Donald Trump, sent in the months after the 2020 election, offer a new perspective on the efforts to nullify the electoral victory of Joe Biden.
The text messages, obtained by CNN, help illuminate the extent to which the Trump White House and its allies secretly tried to go to overturn the 2020 election, including Meadows’ failed efforts to contact Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger.
The 2,319 text messages were provided by Meadows to the House committee investigating the Jan. 6 attack on the US Capitol. CNN did not say how it obtained the messages, some of which were posted on the news organization’s website.
NBC News has not been able to independently confirm all of the text messages. The January 6 committee refused to confirm the veracity of the texts or to comment on them. NBC News also reached out to those who sent or received text messages, including a Meadows representative, and received no response from most.
The text messages offer another glimpse into the inner workings of the White House after Trump lost the 2020 election and then as the January 6 riots unfolded. Publicly, Trump and his allies were working to overturn his electoral loss by convincing state officials in places like Georgia and Arizona to negate the will of their voters, but behind closed doors the effort was even more frantic.
The messages also show how efforts circulated in the White House to substantiate conspiracy theories that were promoted on the internet and a fixation on Trump himself.
Several days after Biden was declared the winner, Trump’s political aide Jason Miller texted Meadows on November 13, 2020, noting that he had sent him a “background” email about Dominion Voting Systems, which sells software and voting machines.
“There are a lot of functionality issues, not much about the conspiracy connections between Dem and Soros,” he texted Meadows. “I’ll defer to you whether or not to share the full report with POTUS. POTUS is clearly excited about them, not only because of their tweets, but also called me and Justin separately last night to complain.”
Miller did not respond to a request for comment on his texts.
Businessman Mike Lindell, a prominent Trump supporter and owner of My Pillow, confirmed that he sent Meadows a lengthy text message that was published by CNN. He added that he also sent Meadows a PDF that included claims that Russia and China, among other countries and private companies, hacked into voting machines.
Meadows responded, “I’m not a lawyer. I don’t have the experience to weigh in on any of this,” according to Lindell.
On November 19, 2020, more than a month before a phone call in which Trump begged Raffensperger to find 11,780 votes to recalculate in his favor, Meadows texted Raffensperger asking him to call him.
A spokesman for Raffensperger said Monday that he did not recall receiving that message.
In early December, Meadows texted Raffensperger again: “Mr. Secretary. Can you call the White House switchboard at 202 757 6000? For a call. Your voice mail is full.”
Raffensperger recalled receiving that message, a spokesman said. Raffensberger believed the message was not genuine, possibly a joke, and he did not reply, the spokesman said.
Republicans in Congress also discussed with Meadows their plans to oppose the certification of the January 6 election results.
On December 30, 2020, Rep. Brian Babin, R-Texas, texted Meadows to Politico and said, “The Democrats and some Republicans may well try to stop our objection efforts. Hoping the Vice President stays.” with us”.
The next day, Marjorie Taylor Greene, who had been elected to Congress but had not yet taken office, texted Meadows that they needed to “get organized for Day 6.”
“I’d like to meet with Rudy Giuliani again. We didn’t get to talk much with him. Also anyone who can help. We’re bringing in a lot of members. And we need to make the best case for each state.” Greene, a Republican from Georgia, wrote.
Greene’s office in Congress did not respond to a request for comment.
A day before the Jan. 6 riots, Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, texted Meadows telling Vice President Mike Pence that he “should declare all electoral votes that he believes to be unconstitutional as no votes.” election, according to the guidance of founding father Alexander Hamilton and judicial precedence”.
“I’ve pushed for this. I’m not sure it’s going to happen,” Meadows replied on Jan. 6.
Jordan’s congressional office did not respond to a request for comment.
On the day of the attack, several Republican lawmakers, family members and former Trump advisers texted Meadows asking him to get Trump to stop the rioting.
Trump’s former chief of staff, Mick Mulvaney, texted Meadows: “Mark: You need to stop this now. Can I do something to help?”
Asked Monday if that text message to Meadows was authentic, Mulvaney emailed NBC News: “I remember texting him. And I remember she didn’t reply. I don’t remember my exact verbiage, but that text seems accurate to me.”
“TELL THEM TO GO HOME!!!” another former White House chief of staff, Reince Priebus, texted Meadows.
Priebus did not respond to a request for comment.
Lawmakers who supported the president also tried to get him to calm down the rioters.
“Mark, I was just told there is an active shooter on the first floor of the Capitol. Please tell the president to calm people down. This is not the way to solve anything,” Greene wrote, adding later: ” Mark, we don’t.” We believe that these attackers are our people. We think they are Antifa. Dressed as Trump supporters.
The Justice Department arrested nearly 800 participants in the Jan. 6 riots and found no evidence to support claims that any were Antifa members disguised as Trump supporters. Many of those who have pleaded guilty or gone to trial have expressed continued support for Trump, while some have said they regret their previous support for Trump.
Several days before Biden’s inauguration, Greene texted Meadows on Jan. 17, 2021, to tell him that some lawmakers were saying Trump should call for martial law.
“In our private members-only chat, several say that the only way to save our Republic is for Trump to call for the Marshall Act. I don’t know about those things. He just wanted you to tell him. They stole this election. We all know. Then they will destroy our country. Please tell him to declassify as much as possible so we can go after Biden and anyone else!” she wrote.
In December 2021, the House voted to refer Meadows to the Justice Department for a possible criminal charge for his refusal to answer questions about the january 6 attack in the United States Capitol. Meadows had initially provided numerous documents to the committee he was investigating on Jan. 6 before deciding not to continue participating, citing executive privilege.
Reference-www.nbcnews.com