Trump Jr. text shows ideas to overturn 2020 election
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Two days after the 2020 presidential election, Donald Trump Jr. texted White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows with plans for altering the outcome if his father lost.
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Trump Jr.'s text shows ideas to overturn the 2020 election.
CNN reported Friday that Donald Trump Jr. texted White House chief of staff, Mark Meadows, two days after the 2020 presidential election with plans for altering the outcome if his father lost.
The SMS was sent two days before Joe Biden was proclaimed the winner. It reportedly outlined techniques that then-President Donald Trump's team implemented in the months that followed, as they distributed false information about election fraud and pressed state and federal officials to help, according to CNN.
The cable news network reported that Trump Jr.'s text "specifically referenced filing lawsuits and supporting recounts to prevent certain swing states from certifying their results." It further stated that if those efforts were ineffective, legislators in Congress may disregard the election results and vote to keep President Trump in office.
"After the election, Don got countless messages from supporters and others," Trump Jr.'s lawyer Alan S. Futerfas said in a statement to CNN on Friday. "Given the date, this mail was most likely forwarded from someone else."
Read more: Ivanka Trump set to testify before Jan. 6 panel
The House committee investigating the January 6 assault on the United States Capitol, according to CNN, got the Trump Jr. communication. The committee has interrogated former President Trump's daughter Ivanka Trump and her husband, Jared Kushner, in the last week. Their virtual testimonies are the closest legislators have come to confronting the former US President.
Separately, Ali Alexander, a conservative activist who helped found the "Stop the Steal" organization, announced on Friday that he had gotten a subpoena to testify before a federal grand jury as part of the Justice Department's broad investigation into the insurgency.
In a statement through his attorney, Alexander said the subpoena was seeking information about the “Save America Rally” that was held at the Ellipse — hosted by the pro-Trump nonprofit organization called Women for America First — which thousands had attended before a surge of Trump supporters stormed into the Capitol on Jan. 6.
“I don’t believe I have information that will be useful to them but I’m cooperating as best I can further reiterating that I’m not a target because I did nothing wrong,” he said.
Read more: Biden believes Trump should be prosecuted for January 6 events
Alexander voluntarily testified for hours in December before a House panel probing the insurgency, handing over a wealth of documents and details regarding his communications with politicians.
According to court records, Alexander's lawyers stated that he informed congressional investigators that he had "a couple of phone calls" with Rep. Paul Gosar, R-Ariz., and exchanged text messages with Rep. Mo Brooks, R-Ala., in the days leading up to the Jan. 6 demonstrations.
“I did nothing wrong and I do not have evidence that anyone else had plans to commit unlawful acts,” Alexander said. “I denounce anyone who planned to subvert my permitted event and the other permitted events of that day on Capitol grounds to stage any counterproductive activities.”
The infamous insurrection left seven people dead and more than 100 officers injured, including four officers who later committed suicide. More than 700 persons have been charged as a result of the investigation.
Thus far, 725 individuals from nearly all 50 US states were charged with criminal activity, along with top Trump aides who were implicated.
