WASHINGTON — Republican gubernatorial candidate for Pennsylvania Doug Mastriano investigatesUS Capitol uprisingon Tuesday, January 6 In a brief appearance before the committee of the 2020 presidential election, the panel will investigate Donald Trump's efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election.
Outside the Capitol that day, Mastriano helped organize an effort in Pennsylvania to assist Trump with the electors of the presidential candidate. I cut his interview short. He challenged the validity and appearance requirements of the committee, his attorney said. He said he would like to do so, said very little during the short session, and finished in less than 15 minutes. Parlatore said it plans to challenge the commission in court.
"Since he is currently running for a general election, some safeguards are needed to prevent them from publishing false or misleading citations that could affect the election."
Mastriano was one of two people scheduled to be interviewed behind closed doors before the committee on Tuesday, according to a person familiar with the matter, who asked to remain anonymous. discussed this matter. Former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is also in talks to testify on Tuesday, CNN and other news outlets reported.
Read more: Republican Congressman Adam Kinzinger on the future of the Commission on January 6
A subpoena was issued to Mastriano in February to step up the investigation and seek documents from him and others who may be involved with and in close contact with Trump.
The commission "sent fake electoral rolls to Washington seeking information about efforts to change the outcome of the 2020 election," Thompson wrote. “We are seeking records and testimony from former campaign officials and other individuals in various states who may have relevant information regarding the planning and implementation of these plans.”
Mastriano arranged two buses from central Pennsylvania for Trump's speeches ahead of the violent siege, secured VIP seats himself at the rally, and then walked to the Capitol. . He was scheduled to speak on the steps of the Capitol that afternoon.
Parlatore said Mastriano "knew nothing about riots" and had never witnessed violence or seen firearms.
Read more: At the January 6 hearing, Trump said he would be willing to testify publicly.
retired army officer Mastriano, who defeated several candidates to emerge as the Republican nominee for governor of Pennsylvania, whose chin' could be exposed , previously willing to speak to the commission. He also spoke to the FBI last year and said his attorney was unaware of the planned riots. He said he had regular phone calls with then-President Donald Trump in the months leading up to the Jan. 6 riots at the Capitol.
His lawyers tried to protect Mastriano from testifying about alternative election plans that were made while his client was a state senator.
Parlatore said much of Mastriano's contacts with Trump through January 6 related to Mastriano's capacity as a state legislator. ” To the Electoral College.
Parlatore plans to file a lawsuit in federal court in Washington, D.C. to have a judge decide whether the January 6 committee composition and procedure violated House rules. said it is.
The committee has been working through August, with large public hearings this summer to discuss Trump's multi-pronged approach to overturning his election loss to Joe Biden. After starting to outline an investigation into the engagement and subsequent raid on the Capitol, we are deepening our work. January 6, 2021.
The plan to put together alternate electoral votes emerged as a last-minute plot by Trump's team to prevent a Biden victory. Congress met for the typical routine of certifying state election results.
The false electoral vote strategy grew out of Trump's false allegations of voter fraud, and instead of Democrat winner Biden, several battleground states won by Biden were given the name of the defeated Republican president. It relied on having tallies submitted.
READ MORE: Biden's 'bland leadership' may be paying off
Federal officials this summer issued a nationwide scrutiny to individuals in Arizona, Pennsylvania, Nevada, Georgia, and other Republican officials who may have been potentially involved in the Trump voter-submitting strategy. some of the major battlefield states.
Georgia prosecutors are similarly investigating Trump's attempts to overturn the election results in the state.
The Justice Department is investigating Trump's actions in preparing for the rebellion and its aftermath, indicting more than 800 of him in the Capitol riots.
An attack on 6 January killed at least nine of his people in the riot and its aftermath. Among them was a Trump supporter who was shot by police and a police officer who later died.
Scholforo was reported from Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Please contact us at
: letters@time.com