PRESS RELEASE Contact: [email protected]
For Immediate Release
Date: January 17, 2023
Washington, D.C. – Today, the committee assignments for the 118th congress were announced – the sad part is, the House committees are filled and going to be run by election deniers and MAGA Republicans, Donald Trump’s closest allies. In response, Defend Democracy Project Communications Director, Nicole Haley, said the following:
“After Kevin McCarthy sold his soul to the extreme-MAGA faction of the House in order to secure the speaker’s gavel, Americans are now paying the price. MAGA now owns the Speaker, and every leadership position in the house, and is filling up the committees. The most extreme members, the ones who incited a mob to storm the Capitol on January 6 and were the most hands-on in the attempt to overturn the 2020 election, are the ones calling the shots. These committee appointments to the Oversight, Homeland Security, and more are filled with election deniers, subpoena defiers, and underminers of democracy. They have already shown they will stop at nothing to secure more power for themselves and their leader, Donald Trump, all to undermine our rights.”
House Oversight Committee
Members of the House Oversight Committee include:
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene Is A Far Right Conspiracy Theorist Who Was Part Of The January 6 Plot And Now Serves On The Homeland Security And Oversight Committees. Marjorie Taylor Greene is a January 6 plotter and far right extremist. In addition to her other conspiracies, racist remarks, and wild accusations, Greene relentlessly spread lies about the 2020 election being “stolen” and was a key figure working in Congress to overturn the results in Donald Trump’s favor. Greene texted White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows frequently for strategic guidance on overturning the election and she went as far as to suggest declaring martial law to keep Trump in office. She also reportedly attended a December 21 White House meeting focused on efforts to pressure Mike Pence to help overturn the election. Greene’s eligibility to run for office was unsuccessfully challenged because of her leadership in the events of January 6.
Rep. Paul Gosar Plotted With Trump To Overturn The 2020 Election. Rep. Paul Gosar was a ringleader in the plot to overturn the election far beyond his vote not to certify electors on January 6. Gosar has boasted about organizing “the very first ‘Stop the Steal’ rally in Arizona right after it became clear that voting patterns emerged that could not occur in the absence of fraud.” At the same time, Gosar mounted a pressure campaign on Arizona House Speaker Rusty Bowers to change or challenge the state’s election results after they were certified. Gosar was also part of a December White House meeting that discussed plans to have Mike Pence reject Electoral College votes of some states when Congress met on January 6 to certify the election and “Stop the Steal” organizer Ali Alexander has repeatedly credited Gosar with being one of “the four guys who came up with a January 6 event.” The January 6 committee has identified Gosar as one of a number of lawmakers who sought a blanket pardon from Trump before he left office, a charge Gosar describes as “depraved nonsense from lunatics.” Gosar has a long history of collaborating with white nationalists and far right extremists, and several of his own estranged siblings have referred to him as a “traitor to his country” and called for his removal from the House.
Rep. Lisa McClain Was A Leading Voice Peddling False Claims Of Voter Fraud In The 2020 Election. Shortly after being sworn into office herself, Rep. Lisa McClain voted against certification of the Electoral College. McClain was a leading voice espousing false claims of election fraud, posting more election conspiracies on social media than any other member of the Michigan Congressional delegation, according to a review by Rep. Zoe Lofgren, D-Calif. McClain claimed there were “numerous reports of inaccuracies and potential fraud through the country,” told a local television reporter she wasn’t sure who won the election, and helped recruit Trump supporters to scrutinize votes, citing “a lot of accusations and irregularities.” McClain also joined a letter to Nancy Pelosi with 25 other Republican members-elect demanding an investigation “of the irregularities in November’s election.” According to a report in the Detroit Metro Times, McClain invited at least two Trump supporters who later participated in the attack on the Capitol to her office on January 5, 2021. McClain has signed the Secure MI Vote petition, a ballot initiative that seeks to curtail voting rights
Rep. Lauren Boebert Was A January 6 Conspirator, Tweeting “Today Is 1776” On The Morning Of The Attack On The Capitol. Rep. Lauren Boebert is one of the most extreme members of the House and she was an active participant in Trump’s conspiracy to overturn the election in 2020. Boebert was reportedly intimately involved in the planning for January 6 and gave a “large” tour of the tunnels under the Capitol in the days before the attack. On January 6, Boebert voted to overturn the results of the election and cryptically tweeted, “Today is 1776,” echoing a slogan used by far-right groups to reference a new revolution and violent uprising against the government. In return for her loyalty to Trump, Boebert was the only candidate in Colorado who received his endorsement for her reelection. Boebert continued to push baseless claims of voter fraud and a “stolen” election in her primary campaign, which saw widespread crossover voting by Democrats to support her opponent.
Freshman Rep. Anna Paulina Luna Is A Conspiracy Theorist Who Wants To “Decertify” The 2020 Election Results. Rep. Anna Paulina Luna has claimed that the 2020 election was “compromised” because a glitch from Dominion Voting Systems’ machines flipped votes to Biden. Luna has also called for the “decertification” of Arizona election results based on the sham Maricopa County election audit.
Freshman Rep. Russell Fry Is A Conspiracy Theorist Who Claims “Joe Biden Is Not My President.” Rep. Russell Fry defeated pro-impeachment Congressman Tom Rice in a primary to secure his seat in Congress. During his campaign, Fry attacked Rice for “crawling in the swamp” and siding with Nancy Pelosi with his impeachment vote and campaigned with election conspiracy theorists like MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell while alleging that the 2020 election was “rigged” against Donald Trump. Fry claims, “Joe Biden is not my president. His policies are not mine and if election laws were followed in 2020, President Trump would be making the next Supreme Court pick.”
Freshman Rep. Nick Langworthy Led A Statewide Campaign Against Expanded Voting Access And Accused Nancy Pelosi Of Trying To “Steal” A Congressional Seat. Rep. Nick Langworthy has a history of opposing voting rights and accusing his opponents of voter fraud. In December 2020, Langworthy accused Democrats of committing voter fraud in a Congressional race in upstate New York alleging, “First it was dead voters casting ballots, now a month after Election Day, 55 new ballots just ‘appear.’ The NY State Republican Party has its entire legal team and every resource available to make sure we stop Pelosi from trying to steal this seat from Claudia Tenney.” In 2021, Langworthy led a statewide tour to defeat ballot proposals that would have allowed Election Day registration and universal mail-in voting in New York. Langworthy also called a proposal made at the very height of New York’s Covid-19 outbreak to send mail-in ballots for the June 2020 primary an “unconstitutional political power grab that will severely undermine the integrity of our elections.
Rep. Pete Sessions Met With “Stop The Steal” Organizers Days Before January 6. Rep. Pete Sessions voted against certification of the Electoral College and joined an amicus brief seeking to throw out the votes in four key states won by Joe Biden. On January 3, Sessions tweeted, “Had a great meeting today with folks from ‘Stop the Steal’ at our nation’s Capitol. I encouraged them to keep fighting and assured them I look forward to doing MY duty on January 6th.” Sessions deleted the tweet on January 7 after the violent attack on the Capitol.
Freshman Rep. Eric Burlison Is An Election Denier Who Worked To Restrict Voting Rights In Missouri. While serving in the Missouri Senate, Rep. Eric Burlison shared #StopTheSteal misinformation while votes were still being counted in November 2020. Burlison, is a longtime “election integrity” advocate and ran an “America First” campaign that boasted, “As President Trump fought election integrity at the national level, I battled it at the state level by spearheading legislation to clean up rampant initiative petitions and referendums.”
Rep. Scott Perry Is A Key Figure In Trump’s Illegal Conspiracy To Overturn The Election. Rep. Scott Perry is one of the key figures in the plot to overturn the election. Perry shared numerous outlandish conspiracy theories with the White House about the election and participated in meetings with White House staff as they planned a strategy to overturn the results. Perry was also an important figure in the attempt to corrupt the Department of Justice. Perry reportedly tried to have Trump loyalist and Assistant Attorney General Jeffrey Clark appointed as attorney general after then-Acting Attorney General Jeffrey Rosen would not pursue Perry and Clark’s idea to send a letter to Georgia lawmakers indicating there was an investigation into voter fraud that could change the 2020 election results. Perry was involved in discussions with Mark Meadows and Rudy Giuliani about Trump traveling to the Capitol on January 6 and he reportedly sought a presidential pardon in the days following the January 6 attack. Perry is currently under subpoena by the January 6 committee, but refusing to cooperate
Rep. William Timmons Voted To Overturn The Election. Rep. Williams Timmons voted against certification of the Electoral College, blaming a combination of “special interest, liberal elites” and “Big Tech censorship” for manipulating election laws and influencing public opinion. Timmons also signed the Texas amicus brief seeking to throw out the votes in four key states won by Joe Biden.
Rep. Tim Burchett Voted to Overturn The Election. Rep. Tim Burchett voted against certification of the Electoral College and joined an amicus brief seeking to throw out the votes in four key states won by Joe Biden.
Rep. Jake LaTurner Voted To Overturn The Election. Shortly after being sworn into office himself, Rep. Jake LaTurner voted against certification of the Electoral College
Rep. Byron Donalds Voted To Overturn The Election. Shortly after being sworn into office himself, Rep. Byron Donalds voted against certification of the Electoral College, claiming that he wanted to “ask legitimate questions to restore faith in our election system.” Donalds also joined a letter to Nancy Pelosi with 25 other Republican members-elect demanding an investigation “of the irregularities in November’s election.
Rep. Gary Palmer Voted To Overturn The Election. Rep. Gary Palmer was one of the 147 Republicans who voted to overturn the election and he supported the Texas lawsuit seeking to throw out electoral votes in key swing states. Palmer claimed he was overturning the election because of “serious, well-founded concerns about the manner in which several states conducted the 2020 Presidential election”
House Homeland Security Committee
Members of the House Homeland Security Committee include:
Rep. Mark Green, Now Chair Of The Committee Overseeing Our Nation’s Election Security, Voted To Overturn The 2020 Election. Rep. Mark Green voted against certification of the Electoral College and joined an amicus brief seeking to throw out the votes in four key states won by Joe Biden. Green began spreading lies about the election while votes were still being counted, tweeting on November 6, 2020 that “In Tennessee, we ensure our elections are administered in a fair, open, transparent process and that every vote is counted in accordance with Tennessee law so there’s no question about election integrity. Looks like Pennsylvania could learn a lesson or two from us.
Rep. August Pfluger Voted To Overturn The 2020 Election, Blamed Nancy Pelosi For January 6 Violence. Shortly after being sworn into office himself, Rep. August Pfluger voted to overturn the election for Donald Trump. While votes were still being counted on November 6, Pfluger tweeted, “Nancy Pelosi is now holding the majority by a handful of votes & desperate to steal more. Results must be transparent & legitimate. The President is right to ask questions.” He continued to attack Nancy Pelosi and accuse her of election fraud through January 6, and he has blamed Pelosi’s “mismanagement of the Capitol” for the violent attack that day.
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene Is A Far Right Conspiracy Theorist Who Was Part Of The January 6 Plot And Now Serves On The Homeland Security And Oversight Committees. Marjorie Taylor Greene is a January 6 plotter and far right extremist. In addition to her other conspiracies, racist remarks, and wild accusations, Greene relentlessly spread lies about the 2020 election being “stolen” and was a key figure working in Congress to overturn the results in Donald Trump’s favor. Greene texted White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows frequently for strategic guidance on overturning the election and she went as far as to suggest declaring martial law to keep Trump in office. She also reportedly attended a December 21 White House meeting focused on efforts to pressure Mike Pence to help overturn the election. Greene’s eligibility to run for office was unsuccessfully challenged because of her leadership in the events of January 6.
Freshman Rep. Nick LaLota Favors Restrictions On Voting Rights Claims Joe Biden Doesn’t “Understand That He’s The President.” Rep. Nick LaLota is a long time proponent of voter ID laws who wants to sharply limit absentee voting access. LaLota claims, “I know Joe Biden is president. You know Joe Biden is the president. But on a given day. . . I’m not sure Joe Biden understands he’s the president of the United States.”
Freshman Rep. Tyler Lee Downplayed The January 6 Attack And Has Promised To Join The “Election Integrity Caucus” In Congress. Rep. Tyler Lee has said that election integrity is a “leading concern” and has promised to join the “Election Integrity Caucus” if elected, claiming that “what we all saw in 2020 has shaken our faith.” On the first anniversary of January 6, Lee posted a social media meme comparing the attack on the Capitol to “500+ BLM riots.” The graphic states that the January 6 attack was “exaggerated by the media” and that January 6 “protestors” are being held in solitary confinement.
Freshman Rep. Morgan Luttrell Said He Would Have Voted To Overturn The Election. Former Trump administration appointee Rep. Morgan Luttrell said he would have voted against certifying Joe Biden’s electoral college victory and has called for “forensic audits” of the 2020 election, including in Texas, a state Donald Trump won by six points. Luttrell returned a campaign contribution from his friend, January 6 committee member Adam Kinzinger, calling Kinzinger’s service on the committee “bad for the Republican Party.”
Freshman Rep. Dale Strong Espoused Conspiracy Theories About The 2020 Election. Self-described “Trump conservative” Rep. Dale Strong has stopped short of calling the 2020 election “stolen,” but says, “I can’t believe that Joe Biden got 80 million votes. I’m not sure exactly how that happened, but it’s concerning.”
Freshman Rep. Eli Crane Called Election Integrity His “Number One Issue” And Supports “Decertifying” The 2020 Election. Former Navy SEAL Rep. Eli Crane ran for election with “election integrity as my number one issue.” Crane has repeatedly called for the “decertification” of the 2020 election and was endorsed by some of the most extreme conspiracy theorists in Arizona, including Mark Finchem, Wendy Rogers, and True the Vote’s 2000 Mules star Gregg Phillips.
Freshman Rep. Josh Brecheen Is An Election Denier. Rep. Josh Brecheen affirmed in an email with FiveThirtyEight that he is an election denier.
Rep. Michael Guest Voted To Overturn The 2020 Election. Rep. Michael Guest voted to overturn the election for Trump and joined the Texas amicus brief that sought to overturn the votes of millions of Americans.
