The previously unreported texts were sent in by Republican Senator Mike Lee. of Utah and Republican Party member Chip Roy of Texas to the then head of the White House of Staff Mark Meadows. Text is exchanged show that both members of Congress initially supported legalization challenges to the election, but ended up spoiled on effort and tactics deployed by Trump and his team.
But shortly after the election, both men urged Trump to keep fighting.
AT series of writes to Meadows on On November 7, Lee offered his “unambiguous support for exhaust all legal and constitutional means at your disposal to restore the American faith. in our elections.”
Lee went on: “This fight it’s about fundamental justice and fairness of our elections system. The nation depends on your permanent resolve. Stay strong and keep fighting Mr President.”
Also on On November 7, Roy wrote to Meadows: “We need ammunition. We need examples of fraud. We need it’s this weekend.”
In a statement to CNN Messages director Lee Lonsberry, said: “I would like to emphasize that Senator Lee was completely transparent,” how Lee called for claims investigation of fraud in 2020 election, but ultimately recognized Biden as president-elect and voted to confirm the election results. results on January 6.
Roy’s communications director Nate Madden told CNN that the text messages “tell for themselves.”
Advocate for Meadows did not respond to CNN’s request. for comment.
representative for selection committee declined to comment.
Source familiar with the committee work tells CNN that Lee’s lyrics “reflect that he was a cheerleader before becoming a against This is. He uses legal language push egregious conspiracy theorists into Trump’s orbit.”
‘You can help get her in?
“Sidney Powell says she needs to get in meet the President but she is being kept away from him,” wrote Lee Meadows on November 7th. “Apparently she has strategy to save life and put multiple states back in play. You can help get her in?”
Li then sent Meadows Powell’s cell phone number and her email.
November 9 Lee again pressured Meadows about Powell, calling her “a sharpshooter”.
On the same day, Roy alerted Meadows to Trump’s approach, writing to him: “We must call on the President down rhetoric and approach to legal challenge firmly, intelligently and effectively, without resorting to throwing wild desperate hayfields or whipping his base into a conspiracy frenzy.”
Messages are being received on a more critical tone.
“Hey brother – we need substance or people will break soon,” Roy wrote. on November 19 a few hours after news conference is over.
Two hours Lee later wrote to Meadows with serious concerns, stating that he was “troubled by Powell’s press conference”.
Lee told Meadows, “Potential liability for defamation for the president is important here.
“For campaign and for the president personally.
“If Powell can’t back up all she said i’m kind of I doubt she can.”
Meadows replied, “I agree. Highly concerned.”
From Powell to Eastman
In private, Roy was also Meadows text messages with support for Eastman, and criticism of Giuliani.
Have you spoken to John Eastman? Roy wrote on November 22. “Ask Eastman to file in front of pa board of elections…
“To get data in front of public domain.
“Damn it, Rudy needs to shut up.”
By December, both Republican lawmakers express serious concerns to Meadows about the plan challenge certification of elections on January 6.
On December 16, Lee asked Meadows for guide: If you want senators object, we need to hear from you on that ideally get some guidance on what arguments to give.
“I think we are past the point where we can expect anyone will do it without some direction and strong evidence.
On December 31, Roy even expressed more anxiety in message to Meadows.
“The president should call everyone off. it’s the only one path. If we replace the will of states through voters with a vote by Congress every 4 years… we have destroyed Electoral College… Sincerely,” wrote Roy.
By this time, Trump and his allies were working behind scenes for a set of parts of federal government in an attempt to cancel the election. This included calling on Justice Department officials, including then Attorney General William Barr, to investigate the fraud even after the agency said there was none. Trump was also exerting strong pressure on then Vice President Mike Pence did not confirm the election on January 6.
In a January 3 message to Meadows, Lee argued that Trump’s efforts to get states to send alternate lists of electors to Congress were not legitimate.
“I just know that this will end badly for President if we don’t have a constitution on our side’ Lee wrote. in a note to Meadows. “And if these states do not obey new shales of We do not make Trump Electors under state law,” Lee wrote to Meadows.
As CNN previously reported, the plan to replace genuine voters with fake in A handful of the swing states were organized by the allies of in former President and under the supervision of his then lawyer Giuliani.
None of these alternative slates of Trump supporters got sign-off from government officials or were placed before Congress.
While Lee and Roy voted to confirm results in service of Biden, more than 100 of their Republican Party colleagues in both the House of Representatives and the Senate do not. Chief among them was Senator Ted Cruz. of Texas and Josh Hawley of Missouri, both of whom Lee called out in his messages to Meadows.
“I have serious concerns. with in way My friend Ted is doing this,” Lee wrote to Meadows. “It won’t do you any good. of the president.”
Lee added what if newcompeting slates of electors were appointed forward in conformity with public law, net effect “could help people like Ted and Josh to the detriment of DDT.”
When January 6 finally arrived, neither Lee nor Roy joined them colleagues in objects to the 2020 presidential election results.
After the violence unfolded and Congress returned to the session, Roy said on house floor”The president should never twisted up some Americans to believe in things that just can’t be.”
He also wrote to Meadows: “This is a shitty show.
“Fix it now.”
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