Why Scott Perry stands out in the FBI investigation of Trump supporters
The evidence the FBI is trying to retrieve Not a Mar-a-Lago presidential record. It points to an investigation into an election subversion operation.
The Justice Department Inspector General, whose office declined to comment, is leading an election subversion investigation. Seized John Eastman's phone. A spokeswoman for Perry did not immediately respond to a request for comment.According to CNN, the seizure of Perry's cell phone was linked to the Inspector General's investigation.
, but a Jan. 6 special commission investigation cited dozens of Republican lawmakers as aiding or amplifying Trump's attempts. To cling to power, Perry's involvement was prominent, making it even more likely that this was the problem behind his cell phone seizure. There are various pieces of evidence that have uncovered.
Elevation of Jeffrey Clarke
Testimony released through the Senate Judiciary Committee and his 6 January special committee investigation found that Perry pushed Jeffrey Clarke forward. is shown. — Leading the agency in the aftermath of the 2020 election. Trump's allies see Clarke as sympathetic to an investigation into unsubstantiated allegations of voter fraud, prompting Clarke to reconvene legislatures in states and He was preparing to draft an official Justice Department letter urging him to consider overturning the certified election results.
Investigators indicated that Perry helped introduce Clark to Trump and his supporters. "I think Clark is great and I think he's the kind of person who can get in there and do something about this,'" he said.
According to visitor records released by the Selection Committee, Perry was scheduled to return in 2020. Brought Clarke to the White House on Dec. 22, 2012, to help introduce him to Trump.
And in a document released by the task force, Perry expressed to then-White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows the urgency to elevate Clark. Mark, the time countdown continues, check in. 11 days until 1/6, 25 days until launch. please,” he added.
Trump fired his DOJ leadership days before Jan. 6 and installed Clark, but senior White House and Justice Department leaders threatened to resign en masse. Only when was unforgiving.
Encrypted message by Meadows
In the same text exchange of his Dec. 26, 2020, Perry sent a message to Meadows using his encrypted messaging service called Signal. and asked: Please call Jeff Clarke. It's unclear if any of the men kept Signal chats, but the National Archives said or earlier that Meadows "properly" had all records of his phone calls and emails on his account. I admit that I may not have saved.
The task force on 6 January also received testimony from Cassidy Hutchinson, a former aide to Meadows. Returning to the office after meeting with Perry at the White House, the contents of those documents are unknown.
Planning Trump's January 6 strategy
Perry He also attended a meeting with lawmakers from the pro-Trump House Freedom Caucus, chaired by Perry, at the White House on Dec. 21, 2020. During that time, they discussed strategies to prevent or delay the recognition of Joe Biden's Jan. 6 victory.
Mr. Hutchinson, accompanied by White House lawyers, was surfaced by Mr. Perry and other Trump supporters for Pence to reject Biden's electoral vote on Jan. 6. I remembered "pushing back" the plan I had made. Appoint your own pro-Trump electoral college. White House attorneys didn't think the plan was "legally sound," Hutchinson testified.
Hutchinson's testimony to take Trump to the Capitol on 6 January also revealed that Trump plans to go to the Capitol on 6 January. 6 — and Meadows and Perry are discussing the proposal. I remember hearing it," Hutchinson told lawmakers. "I don't know which conversation elevated the president. I don't know what he personally wanted to do when he went to the Capitol that day."
Hutchinson said Similarly, Perry told the task force that he supported plans to call on Trump supporters to march on the Capitol.
Pardon requests
According to Hutchinson, Perry was one of the few Republican lawmakers who discussed a possible pardon from Trump in the aftermath of his January 6 riots. was one of No one was ultimately pardoned.
"Mr. Perry also asked for a pardon.
Perry denies seeking a pardon for himself or any other legislator, but another Congressman, Rep. Mo Brooks (R-Alabama), made a request for a pardon in connection with his objection to the electoral vote granting his own pardon,from him to the White House. he published an email and put his request in writing.
Brooks told reporters in June, "The president thought it was best left alone.