Sen. Newly released text messages between Mike Lee and former White House CEO Mark Meadows Lee advised and helped former President Donald Trump’s efforts to overturn the 2020 election results. Reports also reveal that Lee was aware of the legally dubious strategy of expelling the then-elected College vote, much earlier than he had said by then-Vice President Mike Pence.
Released nearly 100 text messages from CNN Lee and Texas Representative Chip Roy To Meadows after Trump’s 2020 election defeat. Lee has been a staunch advocate for Trump’s efforts, warning the White House of how the plan could backfire. Lee eventually declared his opposition to Congress’ plans to oppose election college decisions in some war-torn states, but the speeches reveal that Lee came after months of working to support Trump’s efforts.
Lee’s efforts to help Trump began on November 7, when Democrat Joe Biden was declared the winner. He texted Meadows a statement signed by leaders of several major conservative groups, urging Trump to “resolve every legal and constitutional settlement” in challenging the results.
“Use it even if it seems right to you,” Lee wrote. “If it helps you to leak it, do not hesitate.”
Attorney Sydney Powell urged Lee Meadows to help Trump access. Powell has accused a secret group including George Soros, the late Hugo Chavez, the CIA and thousands of election officials of plotting to steal from Trump in 2020.
“Sidney (sic) Powell says she needs to go inside to see the president, but she’s being sidelined from him. She has a strategy to keep things alive and make many states play again. Can you help her get inside?” On November 7, Lee wrote to Meadows.
Two days later, Lee reached Meadows again on behalf of Powell.
“Sydney told us that the unknown propaganda lawyer was not paying attention to this and was blocking progress. I have no way of verifying or denying it, but I found her to be a straight shooter, “Lee wrote.
Powell’s conspiracy claims have been the subject of a defamation lawsuit by Dominion voting systems and Smartmatic. Powell faces several disciplinary actionsIncluding dismissals in several states for his actions following the 2020 election.
On November 19, Lee realized that his support for Powell was a mistake, following a devastating news conference describing bizarre claims about a global communist conspiracy to rig the election against Trump.
“I’m worried about the Powell press conference,” Lee wrote in the first text message. “If Powell could not back up everything she said, I doubt she could.”
Over the next three days, Lee reached Meadows several times, asking for marching orders.
“Please give me something to work on. I need to know what I have to say,” Lee wrote on November 19.
“Please tell me what to say,” Lee asked the next day.
On November 23, Lee first brought in attorney John Eastman, who suggested several irregularities in several states and proposed an audit.
“Eastman has some interesting research on this. The good news is that (sic) Eastman is proposing an approach that (sic) can explore very quickly, unlike what Sidney Powell proposed,” Lee said.
Eastman was behind a plan by a handful of states to sabotage the election results by submitting alternative voters. Competing slats would allow the vice president to overrule those states’ decisions and throw an election to the House of Representatives to keep Trump in the White House.
Lee He said he first learned about the Eastman project on January 2When he received a copy of a secret note from the White House. He told teachers Bob Woodward and Robert Costa He was “surprised” by the plan and made a “phone call after phone call” to see if any states were willing to certify alternative voters, but nothing was available.
In fact, Lee knew about gambling a month before he was supposed to.
On December 8, Lee texted Meadows, writing, “For very small states, there may be a plan if their legislatures want to appoint alternative representatives.”
“I’ve been doing it since yesterday,” Meadows replied.
(Patrick Semansky | AB) Mark Meadows, then White House Chief of Staff, walks on the White House South Lawn in Washington on October 30, 2020.
Eastman demanded his Fifth Amendment rights when questioned by the House committee investigating the January 6 attack on the American Capitol. Eastman was asked about his relationship with Lee But pleaded fifth.
On Dec. 16, Lee asked Meadows if any senators wished to object to the certification of election votes, which is part of the Eastman’s plan to release the results. But Lee, realizing that such a move would not be legal, seemed to be cool on the plan.
“Also, if you want the senators to object, we need to ask you about getting some guidance on what arguments to raise,” Lee wrote.
“I think we have now passed the stage of expecting anyone to do it without some direction and strong supporting argument,” Lee added.
Texas Sen. The next message to Meadows came on January 3, when he warned of attempts by Ted Cruz and others to protest the election results.
“I’m very concerned about the way my friend Ted is making this effort,” Lee wrote. “It does not benefit the president.”
Lee, however, hoped that some more states would certify the voter list of alternative candidates, thus making it easier to object to the results.
“Everything will change, of course, if the swing states submit a competing list of voters under state law,” Lee said.
Lee warns Meadows that the attempt to give Congress victory to Trump will backfire on the president.
“I know this would have been worse for the president if it had not been for the constitution,” he said. We will not do this until these states submit new slats to Trump voters under state law, ”Lee wrote.
next day, Trump publicly opened fire on Lee during a rally in Georgia After Lee announced, he did not support objecting to the election results.
“Mike Lee is here, but I’m a little angry at him,” Trump said.
Lee was not happy about being publicly invited by the president to go to Meadows.
“For the past week I have been trying to unpack for him 14 hours a day. It’s very encouraging that he would shoot me like that in a public setting like this, without asking me about it,” Lee said.
Lee explained that he was throwing decisions in favor of Trump and calling on legislators in several states to try to find a way to protect Congress. In a speech, Lee suggested trying to persuade members of the state legislature to create an excuse for Congress.
“We need something from the state legislatures to legitimize this and give us hope that we will win. Even if they can’t convene, it would be enough if a majority of them were willing to sign a statement outlining how they would vote, ”Lee wrote.
(Kevin Teach | Pool) Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, Center, Jan. 6, 2021 Arrived at the Capitol in Washington on Wednesday.
In the end, Lee, along with other Republicans, did not oppose the decision.
The Tribune Sen. Approached Lee’s office for comment.
Lee is facing Republicans Becky Edwards and Allie Isom in the June primary election as he faces a third term in Congress.
In a statement to The Tribune, Edwards lashed out at Lee for his involvement in a plot to sabotage the election results.
“Sen. Mike Lee explored how to transform a legitimate, democratic election for party and political gain. By the time Lee realized the seriousness of Trump’s attempts to undermine the 2020 election, he should have stopped exploring the legitimacy of such actions and stopped pressuring local legislators, ”the Edwards campaign said in a text message.
As he promised when he took office, the League is committed to safeguarding and safeguarding our Constitution and the democratic process. Instead, he allowed the situation to continue and helped those who sought to keep themselves in power regardless of the consequences, ”Edwards added.
Isom did not respond to requests for comment.
Independent U.S. Senate candidate Evan McMullin also jumped on Lee’s text messages, saying Lee was trying to cover up his involvement in the election campaign.
“Sen. Why did Mike Lee advise on bogus legal efforts to change the 2020 election? Why did he hide those plans in the days before January 6th? McMullin said on Twitter that his record was linked to a fundraising appeal.
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Correction: 10:51 am April 15: This article was updated with the correct spelling of Sydney Powell.
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