The US House Jan. 6 Committee announced Tuesday that it issued subpoenas to two Arizona Republicans for their alleged connection to the 2021 riot at the Capitol.
A subpoena was issued to Arizona Rep. Mark Finchem and Arizona GOP chair Kelli Ward.
“Mark W. Finchem advanced unsubstantiated claims about the election and helped organize an event in Phoenix, Arizona on Nov. 30, 2020 at which former President Trump’s legal team and others spoke and advanced unproven claims of election and voter fraud. He was in Washington on Jan. 6, 2021 and stated that he had evidence to deliver to Vice President Pence in an effort to postpone the awarding of electors,” the Jan. 6 Committee said in a statement.
Finchem is a supporter of the “Big Lie” and hasn’t publicly acknowledged President Biden’s victory in the 2020 general election. He is running for secretary of state in Arizona and received an endorsement from former President Trump.
Finchem has also called for the decertification of the general election results in Arizona, was at the US Capitol on Jan. 6, and has ties to far-right extremist organizations like the Oath Keepers, according to the Phoenix New Times.
The Jan. 6 Committee called on Finchem to provide any relevant documents and information by March 1, and appear for a deposition on March 15.
Finchem referred to the committee as a “kangaroo court” on Twitter.
Ward became the Arizona GOP chair in 2019 after two unsuccessful US Senate campaigns.
“Kelli Ward reportedly spoke to the former President and members of his staff about election certification issues in Arizona and acted to transmit documents claiming to be an ‘alternate’ Electoral College elector from Arizona,” the Commission said.
The Jan 6. Committee called on Ward to provide documents by March 1 and appear for a deposition on March 8.
Both Finchem and Ward supported the Republican-backed election audit in Arizona.
The Jan. 6 Commission said the subpoenas are for information on efforts to send fraudulent alternate electors and alleged attempts to interfere with election certification.
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Robert Gundran Robert Gundran grew up in the Southwest, spending equal time in the Valley and Southern California throughout his life. He graduated from Arizona State University's Walter Cronkite School of Journalism in 2018 and wrote for The Arizona Republic and The Orange County Register.
