A Republican lawmaker told the Donald Trump-era White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows that the former president should invoke martial law, as reported in December 2022.
What Happened: The revelation was made in a trove of over 2,300 text messages that Meadows forked over to the Jan.6 select committee. The text messages were obtained by the Talking Points Memo, or TPM, which reported on them in December 2022.
Rep. Ralph Norman (R-S.C.) texted Meadows on Jan.17, 2021, three days ahead of the inauguration of President Joe Biden, and said, “Our LAST HOPE is invoking Marshall Law!! PLEASE URGE TO PRESIDENT TO DO SO!!”
Normal wanted “Marshall Law” as he spelled martial law to be imposed in connection with the 2020 presidential election, which he wanted to be overturned, noted the report.
Why It Matters: TPM’s report noted that at least 364 messages were received by Meadows from Republican members of Congress that touched on attempts to reverse the election results.
Rep. Brian Babin (R-Texas) told Meadows in a text message on Nov. 6, 2020, “When we lose Trump we lose our Republic. Fight like hell and find a way. We’re with you down here in Texas and refuse to live under a corrupt Marxist dictatorship. Liberty!”
Some members of Congress sent Meadows questionable legal theories and plans that involved overturning the vote at the state level. Rep. Mark Green (R-Tenn.) said that multiple states had GOP legislatures and could “intervene and declare” Trump the winner, according to TPM.
Trump’s claims of vote rigging and election fraud have been dismissed with the Associated Press reporting that “no election was stolen from Trump.”
Trump and four others are reportedly being considered for criminal referrals by the Jan.6 panel.
This article was first published on Dec. 13, 2022.
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