Skip to main content
Press Release

State Press Events Emphasize Importance of January 6th Hearings

By July 5, 2022July 8th, 2022No Comments

June 22-30, 2022

Defend Democracy Project Hosts State Press Events What We’ve Learned So Far January 6th Hearings

The Defend Democracy Project hosted events in six states to highlight what Americans learned during the first four public hearings of the Select Committee and what they can expect to hear in future hearings. Legal and academic experts, advocates, and current and former state elected officials joined the Defend Democracy Project to respond to revelations surfaced during the first four public hearings held by the Select Committee, discuss key Republican lawmakers’ role in the plot to overturn the 2020 election, and detail ongoing threats to our democracy.

The hearings have shown that Trump and his MAGA allies planned, promoted, and paid for a months-long criminal conspiracy to overturn the results of an election they knew they lost. The Select Committee continues to lay out the evidence proving that Trump and MAGA Republicans knowingly encouraged armed insurrection, and want to position themselves to be able to overturn the will of the people in future elections.

 

ARIZONA

Wednesday, June 22 — Event with DDP, Elections Attorney Dan Barr, Prosecutor Rick Unklesbay, Aaron Marquez and Democracy Advocates: Arizona experts and advocates joined a press briefing hosted by the Defend Democracy Project to discuss what Arizonans learned during the first four public hearings of the Select Committee, especially the testimony by Arizona House Speaker Rusty Bowers yesterday. Donald Trump and MAGA Republicans planned, promoted, and paid for the attacks on January 6th in an attempt to overturn the will of the voters – and they are not done yet. “People watching these hearings can’t help but understand how close we were to this attack on our democracy succeeding,” said former Tucson prosecutor Rick Unklesbay. “The Department of Justice does have authority to bring changes against those who were involved in subverting the electoral process… Speaker Bowers’ testimony was so powerful. Here is a man who is a staunch Republican, but in the face of pressure from the President of the United States, he stood his ground and he did his job. I was so impressed with his testimony.” You can watch the event here, and view the post-event release here.

 

GEORGIA

Wednesday, June 22 — Event with DDP, Former Ambassador Norm Eisen, and Democracy Advocates: Fulton County Commission Chairman Robb Pitts, former Ambassador Norman Eisen, legal scholar and counsel to the first impeachment and trial of former President Donald Trump, and Dr. Adrienne Jones, professor at Morehouse College, joined the Defend Democracy Project to discuss the testimonies of Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensberger and Gabriel Sterling, Chief Operating Officer at the Georgia Secretary of State’s office, and how former President Trump, Raffensberger and Georgia Republicans have continued to undermine the right to vote and impede elections. “I believe the Trump/Raffensberger January 2nd call establishes a substantial case for federal and state prosecution of Donald Trump and his allies. When Raffensberger tried to confront the President with the actual evidence, the President wasn’t interested in it — that’s powerful evidence of criminal intent,” said Former Ambassador Norman Eisen. “You can’t engage in vigilante justice, and that’s what the President was doing on that January 2nd call.  You can’t engage in election fraud and forgery  — electoral vigilantism — even if you believe you are a victim of fraud.That’s against the law.” You can watch the event here, and view the post-event release here.

 

 

MICHIGAN

Wednesday, June 22 – Mid-Hearing Event with Former Ambassador Norm Eisen, Michigan House Democratic Leader Donna Lasinski, and Elections Experts: Former Ambassador Norman Eisen, House Democratic Leader Donna Lasinsk, and local elections experts  joined a press briefing hosted by the Defend Democracy Project to highlight key takeaways from the first four public hearings held by the Select Committee, and discuss a new report that focuses on the role of some high-profile Michigan politicians in efforts to undermine elections. “Here in Michigan we saw an armed dress rehearsal for the Jan. 6 riot when these same far-right extremists came to our House of Representatives,” Representative Lasinski said. “The people responsible for the brutal, violent assault on our Capitol 8 months later in D.C. will not stop without accountability for their attacks on our democracy.” You can watch the event here, and view the post-event release here. 

 

  • Detroit News: Ex-Michigan elections director: False electors’ actions should be reviewed 
  • Michigan Advance: Michigan, national election experts call fake Trump electors in 2020 ‘vigilantism’
  • MLive: Michigan’s Jan. 6 influence ‘disturbing’ but teachable, says former elections director
  • Fox 2 Detroit: Congressional investigation into Jan. 6 Insurrection reveals Michigan’s role
  • WLNS (CBS): State Panel to Discuss Jan. 6 Impact
  • Gongwer: Lasinski, Thomas Push For Pre-Processing Bills
  • Gongwer: GOP Gov. Candidates Mostly Quiet On Explosive 1/6 Testimony
  • MIRS: Advocacy Group: Trump & Allies Planned, Promoted, Paid For Jan. 6 Attacks
  • Hastings Tribune: Ex-Michigan elections director: False electors’ actions should be reviewed  

 

NEVADA 

Thursday, June 23 – Event with Praveen Fernandes, Vice President of the Constitutional Accountability Center, Election Attorney Bradley Schrager, and Dr. Michael Green: Praveen Fernandes, Vice President of the Constitutional Accountability Center,  Michael Green, associate professor at UNLV and Attorney Bradley Schrager joined a press briefing hosted by the Defend Democracy Project to discuss what Nevadans learned during the first four public hearings of the Select Committee and what they can expect to hear in future hearings. “Nevada has been blessed with a secretary of state and election workers who have run clean elections for generations, just as they did in 2020,” said Dr. Michael Green, Associate Professor at UNLV. “The attempt to overturn the result here in 2020 was a miserable, laughable failure, and the January 6 hearings make clear that all of us who are committed to our country and Constitution have to stick together to keep that failure from becoming a future reality.” You can watch the event here, and view the post-event release here.

 

NORTH CAROLINA

Wednesday, June 22 — Event with DDP, Former Ambassador Norm Eisen, and Democracy Advocates: Norman Eisen, former ambassador, legal scholar and counsel to the first impeachment and trial of former President Donald Trump, Representative Deb Butler, State House Representative for District 18, and Asher Hildebrand, Associate Professor of the Practice in the Sanford School of Public Policy joined a press briefing hosted by the Defend Democracy Project to discuss what North Carolinians learned during the first four public hearings of the Select Committee and what they can expect to hear in future hearings. Donald Trump and MAGA Republicans planned, promoted, and paid for the attacks on January 6th in an attempt to overturn the will of the voters – and they are not done yet. “The committee has often discussed the nature of this alleged criminal conspiracy, introducing us to others who may have been involved. We learned for example about the former president’s outside lawyer John Eastman, and a North Carolinian, Mark Meadows, had a very important role to play in the testimony that we heard, particularly the video testimony that we heard yesterday, as he pushed this alleged scheme to overturn an election forward despite knowing and being told there was no factual basis, no legal basis, and admitting as much,” said Ambassador Norman Eisen. You can watch the event here, and view the post-event release here.

 

PENNSYLVANIA

Thursday, June 30 —Event with DDP Co-Chair Brad Woodhouse, Former Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter, and Democracy Advocates: Former Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter, Defend Democracy Project Co-Chair Brad Woodhouse and advocates joined a virtual press briefing hosted by the Defend Democracy Project to discuss what we’ve learned so far, new public opinion research on Pennsylvanians’ attitudes about the hearings, and the ongoing threat to our democracy. “The ongoing hearings are critically important in helping the American public understand exactly what was at stake not only on January 6th, but that there was plotting and planning going on before January 6th,” said Former Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter. “When it comes to Pennsylvania specifically, one of our own, Representative Scott Perry, is currently under subpoena by the committee and it’s known that Donald Trump pressured Pennsylvania officials in an attempt to overturn Pennsylvania’s chosen slate of electors.” You can watch the event here, and view the post-event release here.

 

Coverage: