The House Jan. 6 committee issued subpoenas on Tuesday for Arizona Republican Party Chairwoman Kelli Ward, Pennsylvania state Sen. Douglas Mastriano and four others over their alleged efforts in the “alternate electors” scheme to submit false Electoral College certificates in favor of former President Donald Trump following the 2020 election.
The committee said Ms. Ward spoke with Mr. Trump and members of his staff about election issues and “acted to transmit documents” while falsely claiming to be an Electoral College elector from Arizona.
The panel said Mr. Mastriano, a Republican, spoke with Mr. Trump about “post-election activities” and was part of a plan to arrange for alternate electors from Pennsylvania.
The latest round of subpoenas marks an escalation in the committee’s probe of the scheme, and builds upon the committee’s sanctions of fourteen people from seven states last month who the committee says signed the ballots in an attempt to delay or block the certification of the election on Jan. 6, 2021.
“We’re seeking records and testimony from former campaign officials and other individuals in various states who we believe have relevant information about the planning and implementation of those plans,” said Rep. Bennie G. Thompson, Mississippi Democrat and chairman of the committee.
The committee also is demanding documents and testimony from Michael A. Roman and Gary Michael Brown, who served as Election Day operations officials for Mr. Trump’s reelection campaign and who the committee said encouraged “state legislators to appoint false ‘alternate’ slates of electors.”
The committee said Laura Cox witnessed Rudolph W. Giuliani “pressure state lawmakers to disregard election results” in Michigan and claim that certifying the election would be a “criminal act.”
The committee is also seeking information from Mark W. Finchem, alleging that he stated on Jan. 6 that he had evidence to “deliver to Vice President Pence to postpone the awarding of electors.”
The subpoenas require the six people to produce documents and appear before the committee for depositions in March.
“The Select Committee has heard from more than 550 witnesses, and we expect these six individuals to cooperate as well as we work to tell the American people the full story about the violence of January 6th and its causes,” Mr. Thompson said.
Deputy Attorney General Lisa O. Monaco announced last month that the Justice Department had opened an investigation into the “alternate electors” scheme.
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