The Democratic-led House select committee investigating the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol has subpoenaed 14 people tied to an effort to put forth false electors as President Donald Trump sought to stay in office after losing the 2020 election.
About a month after the election, Republicans in seven key states met and signed documents falsely asserting that Trump was or may be the winner of their state's Electoral College votes. The documents were then sent to federal officials.
"The Select Committee is seeking information about attempts in multiple states to overturn the results of the 2020 election, including the planning and coordination of efforts to send false slates of electors to the National Archives," select panel Chair Rep. Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., said in a statement on Friday. "We believe the individuals we have subpoenaed today have information about how these so-called alternate electors met and who was behind that scheme."
As NPR's Miles Parks has reported, the efforts seem to have been coordinated by members of Trump's campaign, and prosecutors in multiple states are now investigating the submissions.
The select committee subpoenaed individuals listed as chairperson and secretary of each group of "alternate" electors:
- Nancy Cottle, chairperson, Arizona
- Loraine Pellegrino, secretary, Arizona
- David Shafer, chairperson, Georgia
- Shawn Still, secretary, Georgia
- Kathy Berden, chairperson, Michigan
- Mayra Rodriguez, secretary, Michigan
- Jewll Powdrell, chairperson, New Mexico
- Deborah Maestas, secretary, New Mexico
- Michael McDonald, chairperson, Nevada
- James DeGraffenreid, secretary, Nevada
- Bill Bachenberg, chairperson, Pennsylvania
- Lisa Patton, secretary, Pennsylvania
- Andrew Hitt, chairperson, Wisconsin
- Kelly Ruh, secretary, Wisconsin
The panel has subpoenaed dozens of people as it probes the Capitol attack.