","type":"raw_html"},{"_id":"BO624C6YCJDC7JLYPXLTX5PBGM","content":"On Dec. 30, Mitchell texted Lee asking if there was a way to hold a hearing in the Senate so that she could present what turned out to be baseless claims of election fraud.","type":"text"},{"_id":"UKD3TT6PKFFU5BHO3PWP37RT7A","content":"“Is there a way the Senate can conduct a hearing to allow me to present our election contest in GA? And other lawyers re the contested states? To make a record?” Mitchell texted. “We need a day in the court of public opinion. Can we do that please?”","type":"text"},{"_id":"M23C2XWMYZE4ZPB7P4Z3OUTO5I","content":"In the exchange, Lee agreed to approach Sen. Lindsey Graham, a South Carolina Republican and chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, to pitch him on the idea.","type":"text"},{"_id":"JIFHSLNIGVDZPPWPTAP4HTSS2M","content":"The idea of a public hearing was a last-ditch effort by the Trump team to give those false claims of a fraudulent election the veneer of legitimacy and hopefully convince members of Congress to object to certifying Biden’s win.","type":"text"},{"_id":"ZK2MBBCLINB5TJCV4GJXHWXNBI","content":"“If we could pull this off, might it obviate the need for the January 6 strategy?” Lee asked, referencing the plan for members of Congress to reject electoral votes from states won by Joe Biden.","type":"text"},{"_id":"GOEA5GDMBJADDG64FMVIEPPBN4","content":"“It is part of the strategy. To provide factual support for rejecting certain troublesome electors. That’s the point.” Mitchell replied.","type":"text"},{"_id":"AH3XL7RY4BFSZKJNLAHBUTTCIA","content":"Lee again told Mitchell he did not think Congress had any valid basis for objecting to electors, but he “would love to be proven wrong.” Ultimately, the <a href=https://www.sltrib.com/"https://www.sltrib.com/news/politics/2022/06/09/new-court-filings-raise//" target=\"_blank\">Utah senator did vote to certify Biden’s electoral victory</a>, an act he has since said vindicates his actions. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"5V773H6DOVGJFCU2W3YVP4TISM","content":"<a href=https://www.sltrib.com/"https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GPO-J6-REPORT/pdf/GPO-J6-REPORT.pdf/">The committee’s final report</a> says Lee “spent a month encouraging the idea of having State legislatures endorse competing electors for Trump” but backed down when it was clear Trump’s team was moving ahead with the plan to introduce fake electors on Jan. 6.","type":"text"},{"_id":"H4X6FSJP3NDKLJ74DQK7KZM374","content":"Lee’s text messages with Meadows show he was still trying to find a way to make the scheme somehow fit within the Constitution as late as Jan. 4, 2021. Lee told Meadows he was “spending 14 hours a day” on the plan, suggesting the framework of the Constitution might have some wiggle room.","type":"text"},{"_id":"IG3QX5POXZAZLKE65ZLNSNV6DI","content":"“We need something from state legislatures to make this legitimate and to have any hope of winning. Even if they can’t convene, it might be enough if a majority of them are willing to sign a statement indicating how they would vote. And I’ve been working on doing that all day today,” Lee wrote.","type":"text"},{"_id":"B5DPAVSVIJDQHPRPV3SSH5ISG4","content":"With the Jan. 6 deadline rapidly approaching, Chris Hodgson, an aide to then Vice President Mike Pence, <a href=https://www.sltrib.com/"https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GPO-J6-TRANSCRIPT-CTRL0000060753/pdf/GPO-J6-TRANSCRIPT-CTRL0000060753.pdf/">revealed Lee was considering raising a “Constitutional point of order”</a> to put the Senate into recess until a legal challenge to the election results in Georgia could be sorted out. That could delay the certification and buy some time to convince other state lawmakers to appoint alternate electors.","type":"text"},{"_id":"VGT37FX7PBEVNMAD7KUQCSFDW4","content":"<br/>","type":"text"}],"credits":{"by":[{"_id":"bschott","image":{"url":"https://s3.amazonaws.com/arc-authors/sltrib/6bb34475-143e-45e3-92c7-cf9ed4b9cac9.jpg"},"name":"Bryan Schott"}]},"display_date":"2023-01-04T13:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"How Utah Sen. Mike Lee tried to make the scheme to overturn Trump’s election loss fit the Constitution"},"last_updated_date":"2023-01-04T13:00:01.912Z","promo_items":{"basic":{"caption":"(Mariam Zuhaib | AP) Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, speaks during a news conference on spending, Wednesday, Dec. 14, 2022, on Capitol Hill in Washington. Newly-released materials from the House Jan. 6 committee show Lee worked with a top Trump campaign legal adviser on strategies for overturning the 2020 election.","url":"https://cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/sltrib/5ZSQV6DVRFESZNE62DTKNAAXWM.jpg"}},"publish_date":"2023-01-04T13:00:01.920Z","subheadlines":{"basic":"According to the House Jan. 6 Committee, Lee was communicating with a top Trump campaign lawyer about strategies for keeping Trump in the White House after the 2020 election."},"taxonomy":{"primary_section":{"_id":"/news/politics","name":"Politics","parent_id":"/news","path":"/news/politics"},"sites":[{"name":"Politics","path":"/news/politics"}],"tags":[{"description":"Politics","slug":"politics","text":"Politics"},{"description":"Stories about Washington, D.C. - politics","slug":"federal","text":"federal"},{"description":"Mike Lee","slug":"mike-lee","text":"Mike Lee"},{"description":"Donald Trump","slug":"donald-trump","text":"Donald Trump"}]},"website_url":"/news/politics/2023/01/04/how-utah-sen-mike-lee-tried-make"},{"_id":"UEK4LNTD25HORKMRFXYRBQRTW4","canonical_url":"/news/politics/2023/01/03/kevin-mccarthy-loses-first-two","content_elements":[{"_id":"HMYQZJVZAFBBBNPB6DMWGUEP4M","content":"On the opening day of the 118th Congress, Utah Rep. Chris Stewart is displeased with his fellow Republicans in the U.S. House of Representatives who have refused to elect California Rep. Kevin McCarthy as the chamber’s new House speaker.","type":"text"},{"_id":"F7XMRMKXBBDY5NSIGEIBWNUUYA","content":"After more than five hours of floor time and three rounds of voting Tuesday, the House adjourned without a speaker and will return at Wednesday 12 p.m EST.","type":"text"},{"_id":"7RLGCALD7ZBULK6F5OW3JN2CUQ","content":"McCarthy has run into strong opposition from his political right, who think the Californian should not lead the recently GOP-flipped chamber.","type":"text"},{"_id":"7TWRGBM6XZFE5ODT6EGHDZIG6Y","content":"“A small group of egotistical members are currently holding up the House Speaker vote,” Stewart wrote on Twitter amid a chaotic second vote on Tuesday. “But they have no candidate. They have no consensus. And they have no goal.","type":"text"},{"_id":"OW7CWYJ7BRGCXOGLR672XTJ4TU","content":"“Don’t buy their empty rhetoric about ‘draining the swamp,’” he added. “They just want fifteen minutes of fame.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"47LEXJNB4BFMRDBONRZ3MSQ4YI","raw_oembed":{},"type":"oembed_response"},{"_id":"QH34A6JGKRGY3OQ6PF2YUXCJHQ","content":"Democrats, who were led by another Californian, Rep. Nancy Pelosi, during the last two congresses, maintained a united front Tuesday. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"QOETCSDSWFBT3IYGKFNGEFMPPA","content":"McCarthy garnered only 203 Republican votes the first two rounds, as all 212 Democrats voted all three rounds for recently-elected minority leader, New York Rep. Hakeem Jeffries. During the third round Tuesday afternoon, <a href=https://www.sltrib.com/"https://twitter.com/RepDonaldsPress/status/1610394080118247429/" target=\"_blank\">Florida Republican Rep. Byron Donalds</a> flipped from voting for McCarthy to an opposing GOP candidate during the third round of votes. Before deciding on a fourth round of voting, the House decided to adjourn for the evening. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"5HJVA7KZ6ZCXVPRSEUHJXSFIOM","content":"Appearing to troll Republicans, <a href=https://www.sltrib.com/"https://twitter.com/tedlieu/status/1610316616679530497/" target=\"_blank\">Rep. Ted Lieu, D-California, said on Twitter </a>that he was taking popcorn to the House floor on Tuesday.","type":"text"},{"_id":"QWFMHFLDY5BC3DFRFDVCTQHW4M","content":"Utah’s Reps. Stewart, Blake Moore, John Curtis and Burgess Owens voted for McCarthy during the three rounds.","type":"text"},{"_id":"OBFZ3CABK5ASPGIQCAMR3QIOVQ","caption":"(Kenny Holston | The New York Times) Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), nominates Rep. Kevin McCarthy, (R-Calif.), for House Speaker ahead of a second round of voting in the House Chamber on Capitol Hill, in Washington on Tuesday, Jan. 3, 2023. McCarthy lost the support of more than a dozen Republicans, leaving him all but certain to fail in the first vote for speaker. He needs a majority of the House to get the job, and no Democrats are expected to back him.","subtitle":"Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), nominates Rep. Kevin McCarthy, (R-Calif.), for House Speaker ahead of a second round of voting in the House Chamber on Capitol Hill, in Washington on Tuesday, Jan. 3, 2023. (Kenny Holston/The New York Times)","type":"image","url":"https://cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/sltrib/OBFZ3CABK5ASPGIQCAMR3QIOVQ.jpg"},{"_id":"DH5DAYM2BJDL7KPI6RGXHYGMFU","content":"Without a speaker in place, the House did not swear in the incoming class of lawmakers for the 118th Congress, but those freshly-elected representatives were able to vote in the speaker’s race. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"ID7DRFA4UFFF5J62E7ZIX2PUGM","content":"Republicans have a narrow, 222-seat majority in the House, which has left McCarthy with very little room to lose support from members of his own party. The <a href=https://www.sltrib.com/"https://www.sltrib.com/news/politics/2022/11/08/utah-rep-blake-moore-wins//" target=\"_blank\">GOP narrowly flipped the House this past November</a> during the midterm elections.","type":"text"},{"_id":"LIFF7XRRB5GZRI2Q5WSZ7NYJRE","content":"For weeks ahead of Tuesday’s vote, <a href=https://www.sltrib.com/"https://apnews.com/article/biden-politics-us-republican-party-united-states-house-of-representatives-kevin-mccarthy-8b1d6cdf0d75dfc95b195c301f9ae344?utm_source=homepage&utm_medium=TopNews&utm_campaign=position_02\%22 target=\"_blank\">McCarthy sparred with members of his own party</a>, with negotiations and pleas of support lasting through Tuesday’s votes, The Associated Press reported.","type":"text"},{"_id":"FBNFZZXRGRC3HA5P3UHJIDUJTY","content":"Deeply conservative members of the House, like Colorado Rep. Lauren Boebert, have voiced their opposition to McCarthy. Boebert <a href=https://www.sltrib.com/"https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1610306654809260034?s=46&t=HP1PiugJMJ0h6ugePnyxsQ\%22 target=\"_blank\">told reporters Tuesday</a> morning she would not be voting for McCarthy, comparing his actions to the former House Speaker Pelosi. Boebert later voted for Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, during each round of votes.","type":"text"},{"_id":"OTU7BNDJ55GSDEKDE34CCJHJ44","content":"No candidate for House Speaker reached the 218-vote threshold during the rounds of voting, something that hasn’t happened since 1923, according to the AP. In total, 19 representatives didn’t opt for McCarthy or Jeffries during the first round of voting, including 10 votes for Arizona Rep. Andy Biggs. Twenty voted against McCarthy in Tuesday’s final round. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"HEOEVOTJHRAKPJTOX32RJJLHFA","caption":"(Alex Brandon | AP) Rep. Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., right, listens as Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., nominates Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, for Speaker of the House on the opening day of the 118th Congress at the U.S. Capitol, Tuesday, Jan. 3, 2023, in Washington.","type":"image","url":"https://cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/sltrib/HEOEVOTJHRAKPJTOX32RJJLHFA.jpg"},{"_id":"P33IB7PL4FHLLA6WH6HFMTNR4Q","content":"In hopes of ginning up support for McCarthy, Jordan nominated McCarthy during the second round of voting. However, Jordan was quickly followed up by Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Florida, who nominated the Ohioan.","type":"text"},{"_id":"ORBKYHUXUZGDHJMVMBXSZBWCHA","content":"“I rise to nominate the most talented, hardest working member of the Republican conference who just gave a speech with more vision than we have ever heard from the alternative,” Gaetz said on the House Floor. “I’m nominating Jim Jordan.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"E3L23UO43RAOPH6T6LT2YI4WD4","content":"Jordan ended up receiving all 19 dissenting votes from GOP representatives during the second round, effectively blocking McCarthy’s election despite Jordan’s support.","type":"text"},{"_id":"BJSUATXSPZD3NJK2SBIRYQBG4M","content":"In the third round of votes, Louisiana Rep. Steve Scalise nominated McCarthy, and Texas Rep. Chip Roy nominated Jordan. McCarthy garnered 202 votes during the vote, while Jeffries — who was nominated by California Rep. Pete Aguilar before all three votes — gathered 212 and Jordan had 20 votes.","type":"text"},{"_id":"2M42ZHFL4VFXHAEE2N5TYVQMUM","raw_oembed":{},"type":"oembed_response"},{"_id":"YQYOXNXIIRBLRF2LV6K3ERFBRA","content":"Utah’s <a href=https://www.sltrib.com/"https://twitter.com/RepBurgessOwens/status/1610342531480313860/">Owens said in a tweet</a> Tuesday morning that he proudly supports McCarthy for Speaker. Owens, who was starting his second term in the House, said McCarthy has led the House GOP, “into the majority and unified our conference behind a bold agenda that brings commonsense solutions back to the People’s House.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"TT7JXFSOTBB3VCM66JPI3HMPHE","content":"In December, <a href=https://www.sltrib.com/"https://www.sltrib.com/news/politics/2022/12/02/utahs-blake-moore-john-curtis//" target=\"_blank\">Moore and Curtis urged their GOP colleagues</a> to elect McCarthy as House Speaker. The two were part of 21 Republicans from the Republican Governance Group who signed a letter in support of the California Republican.","type":"text"},{"_id":"LIFF7XRRB5GZRI2Q5WSZ7NYJRE","content":"Moore <a href=https://www.sltrib.com/"https://www.wsj.com/articles/kevin-mccarthys-house-speaker-bid-teeters-ahead-of-tuesday-vote-11672689601?mod=Searchresults_pos1&page=1\%22 target=\"_blank\">told The Wall Street Journal</a> on Monday he was still backing McCarthy’s bid for speaker.","type":"text"},{"_id":"XOQYB2DDRRCJRCUJRYM3SDUTV4","content":"“If we don’t have a speaker we can’t do any of the things that all of us want to do,” Moore said. “We will either be the party that comes together to advance our agenda or let just a handful make it impossible to accomplish that agenda.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"VZXFYQXMPZEH7A5XP53UL5EAQU","content":"","type":"text"},{"_id":"4NBNH5J4URA6PJQCBU755NQ4KM","content":"<br/>","type":"text"},{"_id":"JM3A4BCRBRB65MYKBRDTMVLX4I","content":"<br/>","type":"text"},{"_id":"LTQ7EC7EJBEEPBYVP4LIZ25MY4","content":"<br/>","type":"text"}],"credits":{"by":[{"_id":"jscholl","image":{"url":"https://s3.amazonaws.com/arc-authors/sltrib/e5fde099-fba4-4d29-8195-ab160d20f27b.png"},"name":"Jacob Scholl"}]},"display_date":"2023-01-03T21:51:17.740Z","headlines":{"basic":"Utah’s GOP delegation supports Kevin McCarthy in House speaker turmoil"},"last_updated_date":"2023-01-03T23:31:54.442Z","promo_items":{"basic":{"caption":"(Susan Walsh | AP) House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy of Calif., is followed by reporters as he heads to the House Floor on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, Jan. 3, 2023.","url":"https://cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/sltrib/NVAGSC4XGBHC5GUYXQCDS3EF3A.jpg"}},"publish_date":"2023-01-03T23:31:53.975Z","subheadlines":{"basic":"The House adjourns until Wednesday after Republicans, who recently gained control of the U.S. House of Representatives during November’s midterm elections, failed to elect a speaker."},"taxonomy":{"primary_section":{"_id":"/news/politics","name":"Politics","parent_id":"/news","path":"/news/politics"},"sites":[{"name":"Politics","path":"/news/politics"},{"name":"News","path":"/news"}],"tags":[{"description":"Politics","slug":"politics","text":"Politics"},{"description":"Stories about Washington, D.C. - politics","slug":"federal","text":"federal"}]},"website_url":"/news/politics/2023/01/03/kevin-mccarthy-loses-first-two"},{"_id":"RPWN7H2A7JD6HKDGAGENY2OMNE","canonical_url":"/news/politics/2022/12/29/overstock-founder-flew-proud","content_elements":[{"_id":"QQJQDENAOBFIJNBNJZZWLCXW5M","content":"The founder and former CEO of Utah-based Overstock, Patrick Byrne, paid for a group of Proud Boys to fly to Washington, D.C., on a private jet to attend a rally held in support of Donald Trump in the days following the president’s defeat in the 2020 election, according to the <a href=https://www.sltrib.com/"https://january6th.house.gov/sites/democrats.january6th.house.gov/files/Report_FinalReport_Jan6SelectCommittee.pdf/" target=\"_blank\">House Jan. 6 committee’s final report</a>.","type":"text"},{"_id":"QZ4NYVFD45CKLKQLXCQWMGFDAE","content":"Among those on the plane was Enrique Tarrio, the then-chairman of Proud Boys. The revelation was cited as having come from a <a href=https://www.sltrib.com/"https://www.sltrib.com/news/politics/2022/07/12/former-overstock-ceo-patrick//" target=\"_blank\">meeting between congressional investigators and Byrne in July</a>. The transcript of that interview is not among those so far released by the Jan. 6 committee.","type":"text"},{"_id":"QCHWE33M3NFPXGVDJCRGNME3DA","content":"According to the committee’s report, Tarrio’s presence at the gathering, which took place on Nov. 14, 2020, “provided a chance for Tarrio to socialize with rally leaders and far-right celebrities.” He met “Stop the Steal” leader Ali Alexander, “InfoWars” hosts Alex Jones and Owen Shroyer. In an interview with investigators, Tarrio called a picture he took with the men “historic.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"KAUH4AG67VET3JGT5BK2NKSGCE","content":"As the November rally continued into the night, violence erupted and protesters, counter-protesters and police officers were injured, <a href=https://www.sltrib.com/"https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2020/11/14/million-maga-march-dc-protests//" target=\"_blank\">The Washington Post reported</a>. According to the committee report, between 200 and 300 Proud Boys participated in the rally.","type":"text"},{"_id":"JLVODMOKCZECDEUHPAJ7XMUAQQ","content":"Byrne’s purchase of the flight was addressed in the committee’s interview with both Tarrio and Bianca Gracia, the president of Latinos for Trump and a former Republican candidate for the Texas state Senate. Tarrio said Gracia arranged the private jet that took him and several other Proud Boys to Washington. Gracia cited the Fifth Amendment in not answering questions about Byrne.","type":"text"},{"_id":"7SSPCOGBFRBSNNB3IWHYABDL6M","content":"Byrne, whose Twitter account had been suspended prior to Elon Musk’s takeover of the social media platform, quoted a tweet pointing out the portion of the report that mentions his paying for the flight, saying, “But you say that like it’s a BAD thing.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"LU6MXUJJWFCBLLSVA6BZRPJHQI","raw_oembed":{},"type":"oembed_response"},{"_id":"AQUJTPRJ5JAFRJBQHRR5GBPHII","content":"Responding to other tweets in the thread, he wrote, “Somebody in DC told me, ‘there are a bunch of patriotic Latinos in Texas who want to come to our rally. Can you send a jet for them?’ I said, ‘sure!’ The entire exchange took about 10 seconds.” He went on to describe the group of Proud Boys who flew on the plane as “Very well-behaved Latinos.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"I4ELSIJEQBH25H2Z75T4QMRJVQ","content":"Byrne did not respond to a request for comment from The Salt Lake Tribune.","type":"text"},{"_id":"QINDX3T2QJFJBKHHDDS36F4ASU","content":"The former CEO’s name came up twice more in the committee’s report — once listing him as a “VIP” at a December rally who was guarded by paramilitary group 1st Amendment Praetorian and because Byrne discusses <a href=https://www.sltrib.com/"https://www.sltrib.com/news/politics/2020/12/21/former-overstockcom-ceo//">a meeting he had with Trump</a>, attorney Sidney Powell, Trump’s former national security advisor retired Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn, and others.","type":"text"},{"_id":"VCOZZLXS3ZHHNNAA3KXCBDVWAY","content":"At the meeting, which lasted several hours, the group reportedly argued that Trump had the authority to seize Dominion Voting Systems voting machines as they pushed election fraud conspiracy theories. Committee members previously called the meeting “unhinged.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"N4D5H3V7XZBIRKAFEEWV2LW6P4","content":"Former White House counsel Pat Cipollone, who was present at the meeting, said in his testimony to the committee, “I was not happy to see the people in the Oval Office. The Overstock person — I didn’t know who this guy was. Actually, the first thing I did, I walked in, I looked at him and I said, ‘Who are you?’”","type":"text"},{"_id":"CZE6QRVNEBFGLD5IPCHSAN6TDE","caption":"(@PatrickByrne on Twitter) Patrick Byrne at the White House","type":"image","url":"https://cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/sltrib/CZE6QRVNEBFGLD5IPCHSAN6TDE.jpeg"},{"_id":"GPOW757BU5CQLPSXO3XAQCP4GU","content":"Cipollone told the committee he did not understand why Byrne was there, and that he didn’t think he was providing Trump with “good advice.” He said he pushed back on the efforts of Byrne and others, that seizing voting machines was a “horrible idea” and that he had seen “no evidence of massive fraud in the election.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"VVW2EWYOMZETDEF3IVEYAB2ZHA","content":"“The Chinese have a song, ‘See cat, paint tiger.’ On Dec. 18, Cipollone saw a cat, and for the Jan. 6 committee he painted a tiger,” Byrne told The Tribune in July.","type":"text"},{"_id":"2WRGMVWLLREYFCI6ANEDFA4C5A","content":"<a href=https://www.sltrib.com/"https://www.sltrib.com/news/politics/2021/12/22/dominion-voting-systems//" target=\"_blank\">Dominion Voting Systems is suing Byrne for $1.7 billion</a> for his repeated “false and defamatory statements” that its voting machines helped steal the 2020 election from Trump.","type":"text"},{"_id":"4XJCPMCF7RGRHKUH5SAHCSM2HM","content":"<a href=https://www.sltrib.com/"https://www.sltrib.com/news/2019/08/22/overstockcom-ceo-resigns//" target=\"_blank\">Byrne resigned from his position</a> as the head of Overstock in 2019 citing an <a href=https://www.sltrib.com/"https://www.sltrib.com/news/2019/09/01/overstocks-ceo-made-big//" target=\"_blank\">alleged romantic relationship he’d had with Russian spy Maria Butina</a>. He claimed he was working as a confidential informant for the FBI.","type":"text"},{"_id":"ZCHG53GGC5HFNLGSUBT7ZZ7TB4","content":"In response to a tweet including a link of this article, Overstock’s Twitter account on Jan. 4 wrote, “Overstock has no current association/affiliation with Patrick Byrne or his efforts. He resigned and sold his ownership in 2019.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"72A5H7ERZVEZPIV7DKHIQVBK7E","content":"<b>Update, Jan. 4, 3:50 p.m. •</b><i><b> </b></i><i>This article has been updated to include comments from a tweet made by Overstock.</i>","type":"text"},{"_id":"DZ2FAKRO5VG2XOOAKSQGUHW64I","content":"<b>Editor’s note •</b><i>This story is available to Salt Lake Tribune subscribers only. Thank you for supporting local journalism.</i>","type":"text"}],"credits":{"by":[{"_id":"eanderson","image":{"url":"https://s3.amazonaws.com/arc-authors/sltrib/b958aa37-3fcf-4154-943a-599d445e94be.png"},"name":"Emily Anderson Stern"}]},"display_date":"2022-12-29T13:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"Overstock founder flew Proud Boys to rally supporting Trump in days after 2020 election, Jan. 6 committee finds"},"last_updated_date":"2023-01-04T22:50:23.682Z","promo_items":{"basic":{"caption":"(Trent Nelson | The Salt Lake Tribune) Former Overstock.com CEO Patrick Byrne prepares to take the stage at the WeCANact Liberty Conference, held at the Salt Palace Convention Center in Salt Lake City on Friday, Oct. 22, 2021. Byrne paid for members of the Proud Boys to take a private jet to Washington, D.C., to attend a rally in support of former President Donald Trump in the days after Trump lost the 2020 election.","url":"https://cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/sltrib/6O3T2NYD55FBPPGWHMSSSB2GQI.jpg"}},"publish_date":"2023-01-04T22:50:22.889Z","subheadlines":{"basic":"Patrick Byrne, a close ally of Donald Trump and the former head of the Utah-based internet retailer, covered the cost of a private jet for the ex-chairman of the Proud Boys to gather with prominent, far-right Trump supporters."},"taxonomy":{"primary_section":{"_id":"/news/politics","name":"Politics","parent_id":"/news","path":"/news/politics"},"sites":[{"name":"Politics","path":"/news/politics"}],"tags":[{"description":"Politics","slug":"politics","text":"Politics"},{"description":"Stories about Washington, D.C. - politics","slug":"federal","text":"federal"},{"description":"Put stories behind the paywall.","slug":"paywall","text":"Paywall"}]},"website_url":"/news/politics/2022/12/29/overstock-founder-flew-proud"},{"_id":"QKDZVNLNWJEZ3GYHB3C7BYOERA","canonical_url":"/news/politics/2022/12/23/utahs-four-gop-congressmen-vote","content_elements":[{"_id":"CEVMQXAFMZCCFH3ZZKKA2QOU5Q","content":"<b>Washington • </b>A $1.7 trillion spending bill financing federal agencies through September and providing more aid to a devastated Ukraine cleared the House on Friday as lawmakers race to finish their work for the year and avoid a partial government shutdown.","type":"text"},{"_id":"TOYVUWOEPJB2JOXZ2GL72WGFLM","content":"The bill passed mostly along party lines, 225-201. It now goes to President Joe Biden to be signed into law.","type":"text"},{"_id":"X5IUMOQDZVADFGRWQA4UMSWV5A","content":"Passage of the bill represented a closing act for Rep. Nancy Pelosi’s second stint as House speaker, and for the Democratic majority she led back to power in the 2018 election. Republicans will take control of the House next year and Rep. Kevin McCarthy is campaigning to replace her.","type":"text"},{"_id":"WD4HZCXUSFBRJLIYUKBXMTYHGU","content":"He is appealing for support from staunch conservatives in his caucus who have largely trashed the size of the bill and many of the priorities it contains. He spoke with a raised voice for about 25 minutes, assailing the bill for spending too much and doing too little to curb illegal immigration and the flow of fentanyl across the U.S.-Mexico border.","type":"text"},{"_id":"EKYS7NXLPZDMDLWCGRXWY5Z5CQ","content":"“This is a monstrosity that is one of the most shameful acts I’ve ever seen in this body,” McCarthy said of the legislation.","type":"text"},{"_id":"ESL5WLZBAZBYPOQ7GWSVMB5S7Y","content":"The speech prompted a quick quip from Rep. Jim McGovern, D-Mass., who said “after listening to that, it’s clear he doesn’t have the votes yet,” a reference to McCarthy’s campaign to become speaker.","type":"text"},{"_id":"4CTQ7QZKIZEQRPHJRBFYXQ3III","content":"Pelosi said “we have a big bill here because we had big needs for the country,” then turned her focus to McCarthy:","type":"text"},{"_id":"Y2B2QTB3ORHBFD6FX6XDUXRZQI","content":"“It was sad to hear the minority leader say that this legislation is the most shameful thing to be seen on the House floor in this Congress,” Pelosi said. “I can’t help but wonder, had he forgotten January 6th?”","type":"text"},{"_id":"SIMDG2VKQFE2HC57QGHBHVSNBY","raw_oembed":{},"type":"oembed_response"},{"_id":"Q5V5CJDWJ5EUJAHGLGO7QYUL5E","content":"<a href=https://www.sltrib.com/"https://clerk.house.gov/Votes/2022549/" target=\"_blank\">Utah’s four GOP congressmen each voted against</a> the spending package. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"VAM47A5NHZH75B5WNXD6E4DNCM","content":"“A handful of politicians wrote the 4,155-page omnibus in a backroom and then whipped it through Congress in three days,” <a href=https://www.sltrib.com/"https://twitter.com/RepChrisStewart/status/1606012857786646529/" target=\"_blank\">Rep. Chris Stewart wrote on Twitter</a> Thursday. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"6HAPLLQQKBBQHMVBB5AXOCWODM","content":"“This is no way to govern, and it’s no way to spend $1.7 trillion of taxpayer money,” Stewart added. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"G3SCDWIWMRBTDPSWCMMYA7RBKU","content":"<a href=https://www.sltrib.com/"https://twitter.com/RepJohnCurtis/status/1606092335753748480/" target=\"_blank\">Rep. John Curtis said in a statement </a>that the massive funding bill “further contributes to our already unsustainable national debt, all while helping fuel out-of-control inflation.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"2VQTZWEFL5FGBPTLLTUKQKGYCU","content":"While Curtis said that he’s thankful the package includes legislation he’d advocated for, he also couldn’t support the bill because of the short amount of time members of Congress were given to review the package ahead of the holiday weekend. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"S7YUVMSSKRF5RMFHPABQ6ZAQQ4","content":"“Utahns balance their own budgets and Washington should be able too,” he said. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"N2XDJ7CGMJH3RPXEFMAVBJM7PU","raw_oembed":{},"type":"oembed_response"},{"_id":"MPIUM6SGWVDCHOY5Z3SQTI5EAI","content":"The Senate passed the defense-heavy measure with significant bipartisan support on Thursday, but the vote was much more split in the House. Some 30 GOP lawmakers promised to block any legislative priority that comes from those Republican senators who voted for the bill and leadership urged a no vote.","type":"text"},{"_id":"ZPEMFDWYMJH7BG35SH673P2MF4","content":"Utah Sen. Mike Lee voted against the measure, while Sen. Mitt Romney was the only member of the Utah delegation to vote to send the bill to Biden.","type":"text"},{"_id":"PV6U5KDYO5GNLMBKUA7PBM2LUI","content":"The bill runs for 4,155 pages, not including amendments the Senate added. It contains about a 6% percent increase in spending for domestic initiatives, to $772.5 billion. Spending on defense programs will increase by about 10% to $858 billion.","type":"text"},{"_id":"GRGIINLJJJB3VLW22ODV7RIMJA","content":"The bill’s passage came only hours before financing for federal agencies expires. Lawmakers have passed two stopgap spending measures to keep the government operating so far for this budget year and a third was set to pass Friday as well to ensure services continue until Biden could sign the full-year measure, called an omnibus, into law.","type":"text"},{"_id":"JALE3HF25ZG5FPX2GHKMRSTTQI","content":"The massive bill wraps together 12 appropriations bills, aid to Ukraine and disaster relief for communities recovering from hurricanes, flooding and wildfires. It also contains scores of policy changes that lawmakers worked to include in the final major bill being considered by the current Congress.","type":"text"},{"_id":"VJFSOWNCDFCDHO56S56EKLKKEM","content":"Lawmakers provided roughly $45 billion for Ukraine and NATO allies, more than even Biden requested, an acknowledgment that future rounds of funding are not guaranteed with a new GOP-led House.","type":"text"},{"_id":"IKEDYHNDHBGATDMTEVTZSHVEGQ","content":"In a dramatic address to a joint meeting of Congress on Wednesday night, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told lawmakers that the aid was not charity, but an investment in global security and democracy.","type":"text"},{"_id":"IQODBS2WUNHY3ECN4JAWNU4LUA","content":"Though Ukraine aid has largely had bipartisan support, some House Republicans have been critical of the effort, arguing the money is better spent on priorities in the U.S.","type":"text"},{"_id":"KTSJYWPCQBCYFGEKIZLSPZBTKM","content":"“How can we send an additional $47 BILLION to Ukraine for security while terrorists, drugs, and criminals flood our southern border?” tweeted Rep. Matt Rosendale, R-Mont.","type":"text"},{"_id":"HM3PCQYWUZFTJM7P6GQIIOT4E4","content":"“$100 billion to Ukraine. Let’s put that in perspective,” tweeted Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., who included past rounds of aid in his count. “That’s more than $200 million this year from each Congressional district. What could your congressman have done for your district with $200 million?”","type":"text"},{"_id":"MBW3W7EZGJDX7AV4A2S7IVEGGE","content":"McCarthy has warned that Republicans would not write a “blank check” for Ukraine in the next Congress. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said after Thursday’s vote he’s having trouble understanding the concerns.","type":"text"},{"_id":"VZNMQOPX4BFBHNTZ6VOOZJH22Q","content":"“I’m just befuddled by some of these right-wing Republicans who don’t want to help Ukraine,” Schumer said. “It’s always been, the more hard right you were, the more anti-Soviet you were, but all of a sudden, they’re pro. I hope it’s not a residue of Trump.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"DLVGVKKH2BGQHHWZVSJKIPV3D4","content":"The Senate passed the funding package Thursday by a vote of 68-29 but it takes time for the Senate clerk’s office to review the bill and include amendments that were added that day. As a result, the bill ended up passing with a half-empty House chamber. More than 220 lawmakers sought the option to vote by proxy, and many raced to get out of town before risking canceled flights and spending Christmas in Washington.","type":"text"},{"_id":"PBWF3HTIZRHAXN2CRNMQLU2YOU","content":"Republicans have vowed that abolishing the practice of remote voting will be among their first acts in the majority next year.","type":"text"},{"_id":"VHOOWVKVDRCNNOPK3DDRU77KMM","content":"The funding bill also contains roughly $40 billion in emergency spending in the U.S., mostly to assist communities across the country recovering from drought, hurricanes and other natural disasters.","type":"text"},{"_id":"NX3PO66DUVG7ZJBB2TRONI4P6I","content":"And it has scores of policy changes largely unrelated to spending that lawmakers worked furiously behind the scenes to include, else they start from scratch next year in a divided Congress where Republicans will be returning to the majority in the House.","type":"text"},{"_id":"CBSBVAYDIZEEHGEGBF7735BELU","content":"One of the most notable examples was a historic revision to federal election law that aims to prevent any future presidents or presidential candidates from trying to overturn an election.","type":"text"},{"_id":"6L7TION2PVBCDOX322QX265R6Y","content":"The bipartisan overhaul of the Electoral Count Act is in direct response to former President Donald Trump’s efforts to persuade Republican lawmakers and then-Vice President Mike Pence to object to the certification of Biden’s victory on Jan. 6, 2021.","type":"text"},{"_id":"OW7JISQUWNAAZL4CHWJD5Y42GE","content":"Among the spending increases Democrats emphasized: a $500 increase in the maximum size of Pell grants for low-income college students, a $100 million increase in block grants to states for substance abuse prevention and treatment programs, a 22% increase in spending on VA medical care and $3.7 billion to provide emergency relief to farmers and ranchers hit by natural disasters, just to name a few.","type":"text"},{"_id":"2H36OCC7DZEMZKDBVMVDAD7EZ4","content":"The bill also provides roughly $15.3 billion for more than 7,200 projects that lawmakers sought for their home states and districts. Under revamped rules for community project funding, also referred to as earmarks, lawmakers must post their requests online and attest they have no financial interest in the projects. Still, many fiscal conservatives criticize the earmarking as leading to unnecessary spending.","type":"text"},{"_id":"LJBFRAO6QNGQ7BQANTKKEEPG5M","content":"<i>The Salt Lake Tribune’s Jeff Parrott reported from Salt Lake City. </i>","type":"text"}],"credits":{"by":[{"name":"Kevin Freking | The Associated Press"},{"_id":"jparrott","image":{"url":"https://s3.amazonaws.com/arc-authors/sltrib/18fbf0e3-20ea-4949-8778-4e8e904e444f.png"},"name":"Jeff Parrott"}]},"display_date":"2022-12-23T23:16:13.925Z","headlines":{"basic":"Utah’s four GOP congressmen vote ‘nay,’ as House passes $1.7 trillion spending bill with Ukraine aid"},"last_updated_date":"2022-12-23T23:16:14.542Z","promo_items":{"basic":{"caption":"(J. Scott Applewhite | AP) The Senate side of the Capitol is seen in Washington, early Thursday, Dec. 22, 2022, as lawmakers rush to complete passage of a bill to fund the government before a midnight Friday deadline, at the Capitol in Washington, Thursday, Dec. 22, 2022.","url":"https://cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/sltrib/KB2NIEKJEZBZ3JUBEEYLJDSAIU.jpg"}},"publish_date":"2022-12-23T23:16:13.925Z","subheadlines":{"basic":"Sen. Mitt Romney was the only member of Utah’s congressional delegation to vote to send the government funding package to President Joe Biden’s desk. "},"taxonomy":{"primary_section":{"_id":"/news/politics","name":"Politics","parent_id":"/news","path":"/news/politics"},"sites":[{"name":"Politics","path":"/news/politics"}],"tags":[{"description":"Politics","slug":"politics","text":"Politics"},{"description":"Stories about Washington, D.C. - politics","slug":"federal","text":"federal"},{"description":"Mike Lee","slug":"mike-lee","text":"Mike Lee"},{"description":"Mitt Romney","slug":"mitt-romney","text":"Mitt Romney"},{"description":"Chris Stewart","slug":"chris-stewart","text":"Chris Stewart"},{"description":"John Curtis","slug":"john-curtis","text":"John Curtis"}]},"website_url":"/news/politics/2022/12/23/utahs-four-gop-congressmen-vote"},{"_id":"4KHUKQGYYRCSNBWULMFQNLCPDE","canonical_url":"/news/politics/2022/12/23/jan-6-report-sheds-new-details","content_elements":[{"_id":"2T5AWJWZNBFPFMTASBND2SM254","content":"The final report from the House Jan. 6 committee shows Utah Republican Sen. Mike Lee was aware of Donald Trump and his allies’ efforts to manufacture electoral votes for Trump in states won by Democrat Joe Biden in 2020 and to subvert the counting of actual votes in Congress.","type":"text"},{"_id":"LED5VFHO5RGUPNYOQ7JGETEAZE","content":"The 845-page report details a multi-pronged effort by Trump and others to promote false claims that his loss in the 2020 presidential election resulted from rampant voter fraud. Those falsehoods led to a mob of Trump supporters overrunning the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.","type":"text"},{"_id":"TFWIEXISG5B6RJEUNRDVKQ7J64","content":"Lee encouraged the idea of alternate electors","type":"header"},{"_id":"2WTPWGTGWJC3HHSFWCCZ5MPGHI","content":"The Jan. 6 committee’s report provides several new details about Lee’s actions in support of Trump after the election was called for Biden, most notably a campaign directed by attorney John Eastman to have legislators in some states to appoint electors for Trump.","type":"text"},{"_id":"NBD7Z25P5RG47AOQDRWGV62AGY","content":"<a href=https://www.sltrib.com/"https://www.sltrib.com/news/politics/2022/04/25/what-utah-sen-mike-lee//" target=\"_blank\">Lee has repeatedly claimed he was merely investigating “rumors”</a> that some states were considering sending alternate slates of electors to Congress. That claim is contradicted by the report, which says Lee “spent a month encouraging the idea of having State legislatures endorse competing electors for Trump.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"FVJHLU267ZDRTPYEZGKIXJPFLE","content":"Lee communicated with key players in the fake electors plot during the time between the 2020 election and Jan. 6. Text messages in the report suggest Lee took an active role in making sure the effort was legal, while there are no messages that support his claim of being an investigator.","type":"text"},{"_id":"AM77IXHEBJEVBJEEQUABF22IGE","content":"On Dec. 8, 2020, Lee brought up the alternate elector scheme, texting Mark Meadows, then-White House chief of staff, “If a very small handful of states were to have their legislatures appoint alternate slates of electors, there could be a path.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"RMU35JEVGFHHNJ4ZWZKTMGMJQY","content":"<a href=https://www.sltrib.com/"https://www.sltrib.com/news/politics/2022/10/17/live-summary-evan-mcmullin-mike//" target=\"_blank\">During an October 2022 debate against </a>independent Senate candidate Evan McMullin, Lee denied he “supported or ever did support a fake electors plot” and accused McMullin of a “reckless disregard for the truth.” Lee won reelection in November and will start his third term in the chamber next month.","type":"text"},{"_id":"KFC3U6VGYZFTHH2VGEEMYBHC4Y","content":"Lee’s office did not answer questions about whether he disagreed with the report or how it squared with his explanation of his role after the 2020 elections.","type":"text"},{"_id":"R7RHUYD72BD6HBWWI5E5SNCUXA","content":"Lee worries about “slippery slope problem”","type":"header"},{"_id":"JVCR3BHRKJGK5AIWFX3J7JG3FE","content":"The newly released report also details previously unknown communications between Lee and senior Trump legal adviser Cleta Mitchell from texts she turned over to investigators. <a href=https://www.sltrib.com/"https://www.npr.org/2021/01/06/953823383/attorney-on-call-with-trump-and-georgia-officials-resigns-from-law-firm/">Mitchell was part of the infamous phone call</a> where <a href=https://www.sltrib.com/"https://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/03/us/politics/trump-raffensperger-call-georgia.html/">Trump pressured Georgia election officials</a> to “find” 11,780 votes to overturn his loss in that state.","type":"text"},{"_id":"MWYV6OREYRHHTLJH6DG2JOE65M","content":"In the week ahead of the Jan. 6 insurrection, Lee’s text messages to Mitchell show him taking a hard pivot away from the alternate elector plot, seemingly understanding it was doomed to fail because no state legislatures had signed off, calling the plan for members of Congress objecting to certifying the election a “dangerous idea.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"IWOXPH7MBJDCZJFXRU44CG4AFE","content":"“I don’t think we have any valid basis for objecting to the electors,” Lee wrote on Dec. 30. “It cannot be true that we can object to any state’s presidential electors simply because we don’t think they handled their election well or suspect illegal activity.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"TAQ5Q2ZEEZB3XAHF43YR6LAJV4","content":"In previously released text messages, Lee told Meadows that he’d been working “14 hours a day” to find a path he could “persuasively defend.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"2GIST22ZUBHPFBYK2I2PLF4I3M","content":"“I only know that this will end badly for the president unless we have the Constitution on our side,” Lee texted the chief of staff on Jan. 3.","type":"text"},{"_id":"LDCP73QGVVBJBNE5TNJPCXG7MY","content":"“We need something from state legislatures to make this legitimate and to have any hope of winning. Even if they can’t convene, it might be enough if a majority of them are willing to sign a statement indicating how they would vote,” Lee told Meadows the following day.","type":"text"},{"_id":"VKUWIMLFKFABDG5Z7QZGFMTCFI","content":"When it became clear to Lee that the Trump team planned to move forward with an effort to have members of Congress object to electoral results without sign-off by state lawmakers, the Utahn warned Mitchell that their plan could lead to unforeseen consequences.","type":"text"},{"_id":"D7EPREQYKRDPJFSYI5ILKRUZGY","content":"“Will you please explain to me how this doesn’t create a slippery slope problem for all future presidential elections,” Lee texted Mitchell.","type":"text"},{"_id":"ZNZHKQQFNBHSRDALQNVPXBKHOA","content":"Lee and Mitchell are longtime associates. Mitchell represented Lee’s campaign in <a href=https://www.sltrib.com/"https://www.fec.gov/resources/cms-content/documents/lra_1044_ogc_recommendation_memo_mike_lee.pdf/">a 2017 case in front of the Federal Election Commission</a>. She also signed a 2018 letter <a href=https://www.sltrib.com/"https://www.freedomworks.org/press/freedomworks-president-adam-brandon-signs-letter-conservative-leaders-supporting-senator//">supporting Lee as a potential United States Supreme Court nominee</a>.","type":"text"},{"_id":"TMMJX2B6W5HT7GSNGS3FV4IDRI","content":"Ultimately, Lee did not join several of his Senate Republican colleagues in voting to reject the electoral college results on Jan. 6 because the “rumors” that states were sending alternate electors were unfounded.","type":"text"},{"_id":"3ALG6YSFMRFMDNHIHWYQYWWB3Y","content":"“On that basis, I voted to certify the results of the election,” Lee said during his debate with McMullin. Lee has never publically explained what he would have done if those rumors turned out to be true.","type":"text"},{"_id":"TVMH2R5ITZAWPJRICJW5YFS4VE","content":"Rudy Giuliani called Lee’s phone after the Capitol riot was over on Jan. 6","type":"header"},{"_id":"COFBW4D24RCITMQKTSHKH5I53I","content":"The Salt Lake Tribune previously reported about<a href=https://www.sltrib.com/"https://www.sltrib.com/news/politics/2022/12/19/tribune-story-cited-jan-6-panels//" target=\"_blank\"> Donald Trump’s inadvertently calling Lee’s phone</a> looking for Alabama GOP Sen. Tommy Tuberville as the attack on the U.S. Capitol was underway, but that wasn’t the only interaction Lee had with Trump or his team that day.","type":"text"},{"_id":"PIZNULQNPFBGPK3BJXWAKO2MKY","content":"After Trump posted a video on Twitter telling the rioters to go home, lawyer Rudy Giuliani called several Republicans in Congress, including Lee. Giuliani’s phone records turned over to the committee also show calls to the phones of Sens. Marsha Blackburn, Bill Hagerty, Lindsey Graham, Ted Cruz and Rep. Jim Jordan.","type":"text"},{"_id":"RGZ4QMP5YBEXTIC3WF3CDWCNJ4","content":"The report does not detail whether Giuliani actually spoke to Lee during that phone call. Lee’s office did not respond to questions asking for clarification.","type":"text"},{"_id":"JJ2YXL54GBBBLASMQCHSDPVH3I","content":"At some point, Giuliani left a voicemail on Lee’s phone intended for Tuberville, urging him to object to the certification of the electoral votes to buy time for state legislators to either decertify their presidential electors or appoint new ones.","type":"text"},{"_id":"ZYJ2HBOKVZAZ3BJ4G7N77G2NCM","content":"“The only strategy we can follow is to object to numerous States and raise issues so that we can get ourselves into tomorrow — ideally until the end of tomorrow. So if you could object to every State and, along with a congressman, get a hearing for every state, I know we would delay you a lot, but it would give us the opportunity to get the legislators who are very, very close to pulling their vote,” Giuliani said in that voicemail.","type":"text"},{"_id":"XUQB7FMKZZD37LHAHI7CBJJVZ4","content":"Lee shared Giuliani’s errant message with then-national security advisor Robert O’Brien.","type":"text"},{"_id":"L7HTS77ATFHU3LHOJ6IICH7X3A","content":"“You can’t make this up. I just got this voice message [from] Rudy Giuliani, who apparently thought he was calling Senator Tuberville,” Lee texted O’Brien. “You’ve got to listen to that message. Rudy is walking malpractice.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"PYMQELIWOJAEVHYK74DV3YIKEU","content":"Lee’s other contacts about the 2020 election","type":"header"},{"_id":"DZOEKXGGXND6NJAYULZ4DBHS7M","content":"In a Nov. 9, 2020, text message to Meadows, Lee pushed for lawyer Sidney Powell to gain access to the president, describing her as a “straight shooter.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"PODLRQRHZ5BB5H36NHNI2QUH2Y","content":"“Apparently, she has a strategy to keep things alive and put several states back in play. Can you help her get in?” Lee texted.","type":"text"},{"_id":"EX2VA2I46FGE3HEKCDOKE7R2HI","content":"Later, Lee quickly backed away from Powell following a press conference where she pushed an outlandish conspiracy theory that a vast plot, including George Soros and deceased Venezuelan dictator Hugo Chavez, had rigged voting machines to steal the election from Trump.","type":"text"},{"_id":"3EWYLW3LQBCTPJPL6MD77H3UYE","content":"<a href=https://www.sltrib.com/"https://january6th.house.gov/sites/democrats.january6th.house.gov/files/20220507_Sidney Powell.pdf/" target=\"_blank\">The transcript of Powell’s interview with the House committee</a> suggests her post-election contacts with Lee were more extensive.","type":"text"},{"_id":"E5KSVW4CSVBHDEZUGMBB7OL4ME","content":"Powell says she remembered attending one meeting with several members of Congress at the invitation of Lee.","type":"text"},{"_id":"AXKY2YSZJJA4PEFM3JDREZXEYI","content":"“The one meeting I remember in connection with the election was at the request of Senator Lee who asked me to come meet with whoever wanted to show up to listen to what I was seeing at that point,” Powell told investigators.","type":"text"},{"_id":"6YMHPTS4FFHWRFYCKRXD7G73BM","content":"The transcript of Powell’s testimony suggests she spoke with Lee more than one time following the election. Investigators asked Powell: “If (Lee) said that he spoke to you several times regarding your claims or theories with respect to the election, would that jive with your memory?”","type":"text"},{"_id":"ZJUKKIJNPND7NKARUAAWW7GV2Q","content":"“I certainly wouldn’t dispute it,” Powell answered.","type":"text"},{"_id":"ZU42JZHUKRH3PHO6IDUQ4V6TS4","content":"The committee also asked Eastman about a National Review article where he said he was working with Lee on “broader things.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"IEQ6F2G3DBBMXPNFFPMQZWERKQ","content":"In his answer, Eastman invoked his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination, according to the committee’s transcript of that interview.","type":"text"},{"_id":"B3SBY6Y5XRA55CUL6XE6VECOOA","content":"They also asked Eastman if he had a conversation with Lee, to which he also invoked his Constitutional rights.","type":"text"},{"_id":"FL5G6OU5SNDFXKKCYIHFRJQ7DI","content":"Earlier this week, the <a href=https://www.sltrib.com/"https://www.sltrib.com/news/politics/2022/12/19/jan-6-committee-approved//" target=\"_blank\">Jan. 6 committee unanimously recommended criminal charges</a> against Eastman and Trump.","type":"text"},{"_id":"VGT37FX7PBEVNMAD7KUQCSFDW4","content":"<br/>","type":"text"}],"credits":{"by":[{"_id":"bschott","image":{"url":"https://s3.amazonaws.com/arc-authors/sltrib/6bb34475-143e-45e3-92c7-cf9ed4b9cac9.jpg"},"name":"Bryan Schott"}]},"display_date":"2022-12-23T21:23:26.446Z","headlines":{"basic":"Jan. 6 report sheds new details about Sen. Mike Lee’s efforts to help Trump overturn 2020 election"},"last_updated_date":"2022-12-24T02:11:18.422Z","promo_items":{"basic":{"caption":"(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) President Donald Trump is joined by Sen. Mike Lee at the Utah Capitol on Monday, Dec. 4, 2017. The final report for the House Jan. 6 committee gives new details into Lee's efforts to help Trump overturn his 2020 election loss.","url":"https://cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/sltrib/UAMZCAYZG5H2HGVV7ZBHEUN5ZM.jpg"}},"publish_date":"2022-12-24T02:11:17.972Z","subheadlines":{"basic":"The House Jan. 6 committee reported that Lee “spent a month encouraging the idea” of alternate state electors, before worrying about a “slippery slope problem” for future elections. "},"taxonomy":{"primary_section":{"_id":"/news/politics","name":"Politics","parent_id":"/news","path":"/news/politics"},"sites":[{"name":"Politics","path":"/news/politics"}],"tags":[{"description":"Politics","slug":"politics","text":"Politics"},{"description":"Stories about Washington, D.C. - politics","slug":"federal","text":"federal"},{"description":"Mike Lee","slug":"mike-lee","text":"Mike Lee"},{"description":"Eligible stories for other news organizations to pick up","slug":"collab","text":"collab"}]},"website_url":"/news/politics/2022/12/23/jan-6-report-sheds-new-details"}],"_id":"14aa02e9f8d7b0945050b812087e0678f7e0543a227bb35a9ed9ab1906c1f845"}">","type":"raw_html"},{"_id":"BO624C6YCJDC7JLYPXLTX5PBGM","content":"On Dec. 30, Mitchell texted Lee asking if there was a way to hold a hearing in the Senate so that she could present what turned out to be baseless claims of election fraud.","type":"text"},{"_id":"UKD3TT6PKFFU5BHO3PWP37RT7A","content":"“Is there a way the Senate can conduct a hearing to allow me to present our election contest in GA? And other lawyers re the contested states? To make a record?” Mitchell texted. “We need a day in the court of public opinion. Can we do that please?”","type":"text"},{"_id":"M23C2XWMYZE4ZPB7P4Z3OUTO5I","content":"In the exchange, Lee agreed to approach Sen. Lindsey Graham, a South Carolina Republican and chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, to pitch him on the idea.","type":"text"},{"_id":"JIFHSLNIGVDZPPWPTAP4HTSS2M","content":"The idea of a public hearing was a last-ditch effort by the Trump team to give those false claims of a fraudulent election the veneer of legitimacy and hopefully convince members of Congress to object to certifying Biden’s win.","type":"text"},{"_id":"ZK2MBBCLINB5TJCV4GJXHWXNBI","content":"“If we could pull this off, might it obviate the need for the January 6 strategy?” Lee asked, referencing the plan for members of Congress to reject electoral votes from states won by Joe Biden.","type":"text"},{"_id":"GOEA5GDMBJADDG64FMVIEPPBN4","content":"“It is part of the strategy. To provide factual support for rejecting certain troublesome electors. That’s the point.” Mitchell replied.","type":"text"},{"_id":"AH3XL7RY4BFSZKJNLAHBUTTCIA","content":"Lee again told Mitchell he did not think Congress had any valid basis for objecting to electors, but he “would love to be proven wrong.” Ultimately, the <a href=https://www.sltrib.com/"https://www.sltrib.com/news/politics/2022/06/09/new-court-filings-raise//" target=\"_blank\">Utah senator did vote to certify Biden’s electoral victory</a>, an act he has since said vindicates his actions. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"5V773H6DOVGJFCU2W3YVP4TISM","content":"<a href=https://www.sltrib.com/"https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GPO-J6-REPORT/pdf/GPO-J6-REPORT.pdf/">The committee’s final report</a> says Lee “spent a month encouraging the idea of having State legislatures endorse competing electors for Trump” but backed down when it was clear Trump’s team was moving ahead with the plan to introduce fake electors on Jan. 6.","type":"text"},{"_id":"H4X6FSJP3NDKLJ74DQK7KZM374","content":"Lee’s text messages with Meadows show he was still trying to find a way to make the scheme somehow fit within the Constitution as late as Jan. 4, 2021. Lee told Meadows he was “spending 14 hours a day” on the plan, suggesting the framework of the Constitution might have some wiggle room.","type":"text"},{"_id":"IG3QX5POXZAZLKE65ZLNSNV6DI","content":"“We need something from state legislatures to make this legitimate and to have any hope of winning. Even if they can’t convene, it might be enough if a majority of them are willing to sign a statement indicating how they would vote. And I’ve been working on doing that all day today,” Lee wrote.","type":"text"},{"_id":"B5DPAVSVIJDQHPRPV3SSH5ISG4","content":"With the Jan. 6 deadline rapidly approaching, Chris Hodgson, an aide to then Vice President Mike Pence, <a href=https://www.sltrib.com/"https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GPO-J6-TRANSCRIPT-CTRL0000060753/pdf/GPO-J6-TRANSCRIPT-CTRL0000060753.pdf/">revealed Lee was considering raising a “Constitutional point of order”</a> to put the Senate into recess until a legal challenge to the election results in Georgia could be sorted out. That could delay the certification and buy some time to convince other state lawmakers to appoint alternate electors.","type":"text"},{"_id":"VGT37FX7PBEVNMAD7KUQCSFDW4","content":"<br/>","type":"text"}],"credits":{"by":[{"_id":"bschott","image":{"url":"https://s3.amazonaws.com/arc-authors/sltrib/6bb34475-143e-45e3-92c7-cf9ed4b9cac9.jpg"},"name":"Bryan Schott"}]},"display_date":"2023-01-04T13:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"How Utah Sen. Mike Lee tried to make the scheme to overturn Trump’s election loss fit the Constitution"},"last_updated_date":"2023-01-04T13:00:01.912Z","promo_items":{"basic":{"caption":"(Mariam Zuhaib | AP) Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, speaks during a news conference on spending, Wednesday, Dec. 14, 2022, on Capitol Hill in Washington. Newly-released materials from the House Jan. 6 committee show Lee worked with a top Trump campaign legal adviser on strategies for overturning the 2020 election.","url":"https://cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/sltrib/5ZSQV6DVRFESZNE62DTKNAAXWM.jpg"}},"publish_date":"2023-01-04T13:00:01.920Z","subheadlines":{"basic":"According to the House Jan. 6 Committee, Lee was communicating with a top Trump campaign lawyer about strategies for keeping Trump in the White House after the 2020 election."},"taxonomy":{"primary_section":{"_id":"/news/politics","name":"Politics","parent_id":"/news","path":"/news/politics"},"sites":[{"name":"Politics","path":"/news/politics"}],"tags":[{"description":"Politics","slug":"politics","text":"Politics"},{"description":"Stories about Washington, D.C. - politics","slug":"federal","text":"federal"},{"description":"Mike Lee","slug":"mike-lee","text":"Mike Lee"},{"description":"Donald Trump","slug":"donald-trump","text":"Donald Trump"}]},"website_url":"/news/politics/2023/01/04/how-utah-sen-mike-lee-tried-make"},{"_id":"UEK4LNTD25HORKMRFXYRBQRTW4","canonical_url":"/news/politics/2023/01/03/kevin-mccarthy-loses-first-two","content_elements":[{"_id":"HMYQZJVZAFBBBNPB6DMWGUEP4M","content":"On the opening day of the 118th Congress, Utah Rep. Chris Stewart is displeased with his fellow Republicans in the U.S. House of Representatives who have refused to elect California Rep. Kevin McCarthy as the chamber’s new House speaker.","type":"text"},{"_id":"F7XMRMKXBBDY5NSIGEIBWNUUYA","content":"After more than five hours of floor time and three rounds of voting Tuesday, the House adjourned without a speaker and will return at Wednesday 12 p.m EST.","type":"text"},{"_id":"7RLGCALD7ZBULK6F5OW3JN2CUQ","content":"McCarthy has run into strong opposition from his political right, who think the Californian should not lead the recently GOP-flipped chamber.","type":"text"},{"_id":"7TWRGBM6XZFE5ODT6EGHDZIG6Y","content":"“A small group of egotistical members are currently holding up the House Speaker vote,” Stewart wrote on Twitter amid a chaotic second vote on Tuesday. “But they have no candidate. They have no consensus. And they have no goal.","type":"text"},{"_id":"OW7CWYJ7BRGCXOGLR672XTJ4TU","content":"“Don’t buy their empty rhetoric about ‘draining the swamp,’” he added. “They just want fifteen minutes of fame.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"47LEXJNB4BFMRDBONRZ3MSQ4YI","raw_oembed":{},"type":"oembed_response"},{"_id":"QH34A6JGKRGY3OQ6PF2YUXCJHQ","content":"Democrats, who were led by another Californian, Rep. Nancy Pelosi, during the last two congresses, maintained a united front Tuesday. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"QOETCSDSWFBT3IYGKFNGEFMPPA","content":"McCarthy garnered only 203 Republican votes the first two rounds, as all 212 Democrats voted all three rounds for recently-elected minority leader, New York Rep. Hakeem Jeffries. During the third round Tuesday afternoon, <a href=https://www.sltrib.com/"https://twitter.com/RepDonaldsPress/status/1610394080118247429/" target=\"_blank\">Florida Republican Rep. Byron Donalds</a> flipped from voting for McCarthy to an opposing GOP candidate during the third round of votes. Before deciding on a fourth round of voting, the House decided to adjourn for the evening. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"5HJVA7KZ6ZCXVPRSEUHJXSFIOM","content":"Appearing to troll Republicans, <a href=https://www.sltrib.com/"https://twitter.com/tedlieu/status/1610316616679530497/" target=\"_blank\">Rep. Ted Lieu, D-California, said on Twitter </a>that he was taking popcorn to the House floor on Tuesday.","type":"text"},{"_id":"QWFMHFLDY5BC3DFRFDVCTQHW4M","content":"Utah’s Reps. Stewart, Blake Moore, John Curtis and Burgess Owens voted for McCarthy during the three rounds.","type":"text"},{"_id":"OBFZ3CABK5ASPGIQCAMR3QIOVQ","caption":"(Kenny Holston | The New York Times) Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), nominates Rep. Kevin McCarthy, (R-Calif.), for House Speaker ahead of a second round of voting in the House Chamber on Capitol Hill, in Washington on Tuesday, Jan. 3, 2023. McCarthy lost the support of more than a dozen Republicans, leaving him all but certain to fail in the first vote for speaker. He needs a majority of the House to get the job, and no Democrats are expected to back him.","subtitle":"Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), nominates Rep. Kevin McCarthy, (R-Calif.), for House Speaker ahead of a second round of voting in the House Chamber on Capitol Hill, in Washington on Tuesday, Jan. 3, 2023. (Kenny Holston/The New York Times)","type":"image","url":"https://cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/sltrib/OBFZ3CABK5ASPGIQCAMR3QIOVQ.jpg"},{"_id":"DH5DAYM2BJDL7KPI6RGXHYGMFU","content":"Without a speaker in place, the House did not swear in the incoming class of lawmakers for the 118th Congress, but those freshly-elected representatives were able to vote in the speaker’s race. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"ID7DRFA4UFFF5J62E7ZIX2PUGM","content":"Republicans have a narrow, 222-seat majority in the House, which has left McCarthy with very little room to lose support from members of his own party. The <a href=https://www.sltrib.com/"https://www.sltrib.com/news/politics/2022/11/08/utah-rep-blake-moore-wins//" target=\"_blank\">GOP narrowly flipped the House this past November</a> during the midterm elections.","type":"text"},{"_id":"LIFF7XRRB5GZRI2Q5WSZ7NYJRE","content":"For weeks ahead of Tuesday’s vote, <a href=https://www.sltrib.com/"https://apnews.com/article/biden-politics-us-republican-party-united-states-house-of-representatives-kevin-mccarthy-8b1d6cdf0d75dfc95b195c301f9ae344?utm_source=homepage&utm_medium=TopNews&utm_campaign=position_02\%22 target=\"_blank\">McCarthy sparred with members of his own party</a>, with negotiations and pleas of support lasting through Tuesday’s votes, The Associated Press reported.","type":"text"},{"_id":"FBNFZZXRGRC3HA5P3UHJIDUJTY","content":"Deeply conservative members of the House, like Colorado Rep. Lauren Boebert, have voiced their opposition to McCarthy. Boebert <a href=https://www.sltrib.com/"https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1610306654809260034?s=46&t=HP1PiugJMJ0h6ugePnyxsQ\%22 target=\"_blank\">told reporters Tuesday</a> morning she would not be voting for McCarthy, comparing his actions to the former House Speaker Pelosi. Boebert later voted for Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, during each round of votes.","type":"text"},{"_id":"OTU7BNDJ55GSDEKDE34CCJHJ44","content":"No candidate for House Speaker reached the 218-vote threshold during the rounds of voting, something that hasn’t happened since 1923, according to the AP. In total, 19 representatives didn’t opt for McCarthy or Jeffries during the first round of voting, including 10 votes for Arizona Rep. Andy Biggs. Twenty voted against McCarthy in Tuesday’s final round. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"HEOEVOTJHRAKPJTOX32RJJLHFA","caption":"(Alex Brandon | AP) Rep. Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., right, listens as Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., nominates Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, for Speaker of the House on the opening day of the 118th Congress at the U.S. Capitol, Tuesday, Jan. 3, 2023, in Washington.","type":"image","url":"https://cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/sltrib/HEOEVOTJHRAKPJTOX32RJJLHFA.jpg"},{"_id":"P33IB7PL4FHLLA6WH6HFMTNR4Q","content":"In hopes of ginning up support for McCarthy, Jordan nominated McCarthy during the second round of voting. However, Jordan was quickly followed up by Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Florida, who nominated the Ohioan.","type":"text"},{"_id":"ORBKYHUXUZGDHJMVMBXSZBWCHA","content":"“I rise to nominate the most talented, hardest working member of the Republican conference who just gave a speech with more vision than we have ever heard from the alternative,” Gaetz said on the House Floor. “I’m nominating Jim Jordan.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"E3L23UO43RAOPH6T6LT2YI4WD4","content":"Jordan ended up receiving all 19 dissenting votes from GOP representatives during the second round, effectively blocking McCarthy’s election despite Jordan’s support.","type":"text"},{"_id":"BJSUATXSPZD3NJK2SBIRYQBG4M","content":"In the third round of votes, Louisiana Rep. Steve Scalise nominated McCarthy, and Texas Rep. Chip Roy nominated Jordan. McCarthy garnered 202 votes during the vote, while Jeffries — who was nominated by California Rep. Pete Aguilar before all three votes — gathered 212 and Jordan had 20 votes.","type":"text"},{"_id":"2M42ZHFL4VFXHAEE2N5TYVQMUM","raw_oembed":{},"type":"oembed_response"},{"_id":"YQYOXNXIIRBLRF2LV6K3ERFBRA","content":"Utah’s <a href=https://www.sltrib.com/"https://twitter.com/RepBurgessOwens/status/1610342531480313860/">Owens said in a tweet</a> Tuesday morning that he proudly supports McCarthy for Speaker. Owens, who was starting his second term in the House, said McCarthy has led the House GOP, “into the majority and unified our conference behind a bold agenda that brings commonsense solutions back to the People’s House.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"TT7JXFSOTBB3VCM66JPI3HMPHE","content":"In December, <a href=https://www.sltrib.com/"https://www.sltrib.com/news/politics/2022/12/02/utahs-blake-moore-john-curtis//" target=\"_blank\">Moore and Curtis urged their GOP colleagues</a> to elect McCarthy as House Speaker. The two were part of 21 Republicans from the Republican Governance Group who signed a letter in support of the California Republican.","type":"text"},{"_id":"LIFF7XRRB5GZRI2Q5WSZ7NYJRE","content":"Moore <a href=https://www.sltrib.com/"https://www.wsj.com/articles/kevin-mccarthys-house-speaker-bid-teeters-ahead-of-tuesday-vote-11672689601?mod=Searchresults_pos1&page=1\%22 target=\"_blank\">told The Wall Street Journal</a> on Monday he was still backing McCarthy’s bid for speaker.","type":"text"},{"_id":"XOQYB2DDRRCJRCUJRYM3SDUTV4","content":"“If we don’t have a speaker we can’t do any of the things that all of us want to do,” Moore said. “We will either be the party that comes together to advance our agenda or let just a handful make it impossible to accomplish that agenda.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"VZXFYQXMPZEH7A5XP53UL5EAQU","content":"","type":"text"},{"_id":"4NBNH5J4URA6PJQCBU755NQ4KM","content":"<br/>","type":"text"},{"_id":"JM3A4BCRBRB65MYKBRDTMVLX4I","content":"<br/>","type":"text"},{"_id":"LTQ7EC7EJBEEPBYVP4LIZ25MY4","content":"<br/>","type":"text"}],"credits":{"by":[{"_id":"jscholl","image":{"url":"https://s3.amazonaws.com/arc-authors/sltrib/e5fde099-fba4-4d29-8195-ab160d20f27b.png"},"name":"Jacob Scholl"}]},"display_date":"2023-01-03T21:51:17.740Z","headlines":{"basic":"Utah’s GOP delegation supports Kevin McCarthy in House speaker turmoil"},"last_updated_date":"2023-01-03T23:31:54.442Z","promo_items":{"basic":{"caption":"(Susan Walsh | AP) House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy of Calif., is followed by reporters as he heads to the House Floor on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, Jan. 3, 2023.","url":"https://cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/sltrib/NVAGSC4XGBHC5GUYXQCDS3EF3A.jpg"}},"publish_date":"2023-01-03T23:31:53.975Z","subheadlines":{"basic":"The House adjourns until Wednesday after Republicans, who recently gained control of the U.S. House of Representatives during November’s midterm elections, failed to elect a speaker."},"taxonomy":{"primary_section":{"_id":"/news/politics","name":"Politics","parent_id":"/news","path":"/news/politics"},"sites":[{"name":"Politics","path":"/news/politics"},{"name":"News","path":"/news"}],"tags":[{"description":"Politics","slug":"politics","text":"Politics"},{"description":"Stories about Washington, D.C. - politics","slug":"federal","text":"federal"}]},"website_url":"/news/politics/2023/01/03/kevin-mccarthy-loses-first-two"},{"_id":"RPWN7H2A7JD6HKDGAGENY2OMNE","canonical_url":"/news/politics/2022/12/29/overstock-founder-flew-proud","content_elements":[{"_id":"QQJQDENAOBFIJNBNJZZWLCXW5M","content":"The founder and former CEO of Utah-based Overstock, Patrick Byrne, paid for a group of Proud Boys to fly to Washington, D.C., on a private jet to attend a rally held in support of Donald Trump in the days following the president’s defeat in the 2020 election, according to the <a href=https://www.sltrib.com/"https://january6th.house.gov/sites/democrats.january6th.house.gov/files/Report_FinalReport_Jan6SelectCommittee.pdf/" target=\"_blank\">House Jan. 6 committee’s final report</a>.","type":"text"},{"_id":"QZ4NYVFD45CKLKQLXCQWMGFDAE","content":"Among those on the plane was Enrique Tarrio, the then-chairman of Proud Boys. The revelation was cited as having come from a <a href=https://www.sltrib.com/"https://www.sltrib.com/news/politics/2022/07/12/former-overstock-ceo-patrick//" target=\"_blank\">meeting between congressional investigators and Byrne in July</a>. The transcript of that interview is not among those so far released by the Jan. 6 committee.","type":"text"},{"_id":"QCHWE33M3NFPXGVDJCRGNME3DA","content":"According to the committee’s report, Tarrio’s presence at the gathering, which took place on Nov. 14, 2020, “provided a chance for Tarrio to socialize with rally leaders and far-right celebrities.” He met “Stop the Steal” leader Ali Alexander, “InfoWars” hosts Alex Jones and Owen Shroyer. In an interview with investigators, Tarrio called a picture he took with the men “historic.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"KAUH4AG67VET3JGT5BK2NKSGCE","content":"As the November rally continued into the night, violence erupted and protesters, counter-protesters and police officers were injured, <a href=https://www.sltrib.com/"https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2020/11/14/million-maga-march-dc-protests//" target=\"_blank\">The Washington Post reported</a>. According to the committee report, between 200 and 300 Proud Boys participated in the rally.","type":"text"},{"_id":"JLVODMOKCZECDEUHPAJ7XMUAQQ","content":"Byrne’s purchase of the flight was addressed in the committee’s interview with both Tarrio and Bianca Gracia, the president of Latinos for Trump and a former Republican candidate for the Texas state Senate. Tarrio said Gracia arranged the private jet that took him and several other Proud Boys to Washington. Gracia cited the Fifth Amendment in not answering questions about Byrne.","type":"text"},{"_id":"7SSPCOGBFRBSNNB3IWHYABDL6M","content":"Byrne, whose Twitter account had been suspended prior to Elon Musk’s takeover of the social media platform, quoted a tweet pointing out the portion of the report that mentions his paying for the flight, saying, “But you say that like it’s a BAD thing.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"LU6MXUJJWFCBLLSVA6BZRPJHQI","raw_oembed":{},"type":"oembed_response"},{"_id":"AQUJTPRJ5JAFRJBQHRR5GBPHII","content":"Responding to other tweets in the thread, he wrote, “Somebody in DC told me, ‘there are a bunch of patriotic Latinos in Texas who want to come to our rally. Can you send a jet for them?’ I said, ‘sure!’ The entire exchange took about 10 seconds.” He went on to describe the group of Proud Boys who flew on the plane as “Very well-behaved Latinos.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"I4ELSIJEQBH25H2Z75T4QMRJVQ","content":"Byrne did not respond to a request for comment from The Salt Lake Tribune.","type":"text"},{"_id":"QINDX3T2QJFJBKHHDDS36F4ASU","content":"The former CEO’s name came up twice more in the committee’s report — once listing him as a “VIP” at a December rally who was guarded by paramilitary group 1st Amendment Praetorian and because Byrne discusses <a href=https://www.sltrib.com/"https://www.sltrib.com/news/politics/2020/12/21/former-overstockcom-ceo//">a meeting he had with Trump</a>, attorney Sidney Powell, Trump’s former national security advisor retired Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn, and others.","type":"text"},{"_id":"VCOZZLXS3ZHHNNAA3KXCBDVWAY","content":"At the meeting, which lasted several hours, the group reportedly argued that Trump had the authority to seize Dominion Voting Systems voting machines as they pushed election fraud conspiracy theories. Committee members previously called the meeting “unhinged.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"N4D5H3V7XZBIRKAFEEWV2LW6P4","content":"Former White House counsel Pat Cipollone, who was present at the meeting, said in his testimony to the committee, “I was not happy to see the people in the Oval Office. The Overstock person — I didn’t know who this guy was. Actually, the first thing I did, I walked in, I looked at him and I said, ‘Who are you?’”","type":"text"},{"_id":"CZE6QRVNEBFGLD5IPCHSAN6TDE","caption":"(@PatrickByrne on Twitter) Patrick Byrne at the White House","type":"image","url":"https://cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/sltrib/CZE6QRVNEBFGLD5IPCHSAN6TDE.jpeg"},{"_id":"GPOW757BU5CQLPSXO3XAQCP4GU","content":"Cipollone told the committee he did not understand why Byrne was there, and that he didn’t think he was providing Trump with “good advice.” He said he pushed back on the efforts of Byrne and others, that seizing voting machines was a “horrible idea” and that he had seen “no evidence of massive fraud in the election.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"VVW2EWYOMZETDEF3IVEYAB2ZHA","content":"“The Chinese have a song, ‘See cat, paint tiger.’ On Dec. 18, Cipollone saw a cat, and for the Jan. 6 committee he painted a tiger,” Byrne told The Tribune in July.","type":"text"},{"_id":"2WRGMVWLLREYFCI6ANEDFA4C5A","content":"<a href=https://www.sltrib.com/"https://www.sltrib.com/news/politics/2021/12/22/dominion-voting-systems//" target=\"_blank\">Dominion Voting Systems is suing Byrne for $1.7 billion</a> for his repeated “false and defamatory statements” that its voting machines helped steal the 2020 election from Trump.","type":"text"},{"_id":"4XJCPMCF7RGRHKUH5SAHCSM2HM","content":"<a href=https://www.sltrib.com/"https://www.sltrib.com/news/2019/08/22/overstockcom-ceo-resigns//" target=\"_blank\">Byrne resigned from his position</a> as the head of Overstock in 2019 citing an <a href=https://www.sltrib.com/"https://www.sltrib.com/news/2019/09/01/overstocks-ceo-made-big//" target=\"_blank\">alleged romantic relationship he’d had with Russian spy Maria Butina</a>. He claimed he was working as a confidential informant for the FBI.","type":"text"},{"_id":"ZCHG53GGC5HFNLGSUBT7ZZ7TB4","content":"In response to a tweet including a link of this article, Overstock’s Twitter account on Jan. 4 wrote, “Overstock has no current association/affiliation with Patrick Byrne or his efforts. He resigned and sold his ownership in 2019.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"72A5H7ERZVEZPIV7DKHIQVBK7E","content":"<b>Update, Jan. 4, 3:50 p.m. •</b><i><b> </b></i><i>This article has been updated to include comments from a tweet made by Overstock.</i>","type":"text"},{"_id":"DZ2FAKRO5VG2XOOAKSQGUHW64I","content":"<b>Editor’s note •</b><i>This story is available to Salt Lake Tribune subscribers only. Thank you for supporting local journalism.</i>","type":"text"}],"credits":{"by":[{"_id":"eanderson","image":{"url":"https://s3.amazonaws.com/arc-authors/sltrib/b958aa37-3fcf-4154-943a-599d445e94be.png"},"name":"Emily Anderson Stern"}]},"display_date":"2022-12-29T13:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"Overstock founder flew Proud Boys to rally supporting Trump in days after 2020 election, Jan. 6 committee finds"},"last_updated_date":"2023-01-04T22:50:23.682Z","promo_items":{"basic":{"caption":"(Trent Nelson | The Salt Lake Tribune) Former Overstock.com CEO Patrick Byrne prepares to take the stage at the WeCANact Liberty Conference, held at the Salt Palace Convention Center in Salt Lake City on Friday, Oct. 22, 2021. Byrne paid for members of the Proud Boys to take a private jet to Washington, D.C., to attend a rally in support of former President Donald Trump in the days after Trump lost the 2020 election.","url":"https://cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/sltrib/6O3T2NYD55FBPPGWHMSSSB2GQI.jpg"}},"publish_date":"2023-01-04T22:50:22.889Z","subheadlines":{"basic":"Patrick Byrne, a close ally of Donald Trump and the former head of the Utah-based internet retailer, covered the cost of a private jet for the ex-chairman of the Proud Boys to gather with prominent, far-right Trump supporters."},"taxonomy":{"primary_section":{"_id":"/news/politics","name":"Politics","parent_id":"/news","path":"/news/politics"},"sites":[{"name":"Politics","path":"/news/politics"}],"tags":[{"description":"Politics","slug":"politics","text":"Politics"},{"description":"Stories about Washington, D.C. - politics","slug":"federal","text":"federal"},{"description":"Put stories behind the paywall.","slug":"paywall","text":"Paywall"}]},"website_url":"/news/politics/2022/12/29/overstock-founder-flew-proud"},{"_id":"QKDZVNLNWJEZ3GYHB3C7BYOERA","canonical_url":"/news/politics/2022/12/23/utahs-four-gop-congressmen-vote","content_elements":[{"_id":"CEVMQXAFMZCCFH3ZZKKA2QOU5Q","content":"<b>Washington • </b>A $1.7 trillion spending bill financing federal agencies through September and providing more aid to a devastated Ukraine cleared the House on Friday as lawmakers race to finish their work for the year and avoid a partial government shutdown.","type":"text"},{"_id":"TOYVUWOEPJB2JOXZ2GL72WGFLM","content":"The bill passed mostly along party lines, 225-201. It now goes to President Joe Biden to be signed into law.","type":"text"},{"_id":"X5IUMOQDZVADFGRWQA4UMSWV5A","content":"Passage of the bill represented a closing act for Rep. Nancy Pelosi’s second stint as House speaker, and for the Democratic majority she led back to power in the 2018 election. Republicans will take control of the House next year and Rep. Kevin McCarthy is campaigning to replace her.","type":"text"},{"_id":"WD4HZCXUSFBRJLIYUKBXMTYHGU","content":"He is appealing for support from staunch conservatives in his caucus who have largely trashed the size of the bill and many of the priorities it contains. He spoke with a raised voice for about 25 minutes, assailing the bill for spending too much and doing too little to curb illegal immigration and the flow of fentanyl across the U.S.-Mexico border.","type":"text"},{"_id":"EKYS7NXLPZDMDLWCGRXWY5Z5CQ","content":"“This is a monstrosity that is one of the most shameful acts I’ve ever seen in this body,” McCarthy said of the legislation.","type":"text"},{"_id":"ESL5WLZBAZBYPOQ7GWSVMB5S7Y","content":"The speech prompted a quick quip from Rep. Jim McGovern, D-Mass., who said “after listening to that, it’s clear he doesn’t have the votes yet,” a reference to McCarthy’s campaign to become speaker.","type":"text"},{"_id":"4CTQ7QZKIZEQRPHJRBFYXQ3III","content":"Pelosi said “we have a big bill here because we had big needs for the country,” then turned her focus to McCarthy:","type":"text"},{"_id":"Y2B2QTB3ORHBFD6FX6XDUXRZQI","content":"“It was sad to hear the minority leader say that this legislation is the most shameful thing to be seen on the House floor in this Congress,” Pelosi said. “I can’t help but wonder, had he forgotten January 6th?”","type":"text"},{"_id":"SIMDG2VKQFE2HC57QGHBHVSNBY","raw_oembed":{},"type":"oembed_response"},{"_id":"Q5V5CJDWJ5EUJAHGLGO7QYUL5E","content":"<a href=https://www.sltrib.com/"https://clerk.house.gov/Votes/2022549/" target=\"_blank\">Utah’s four GOP congressmen each voted against</a> the spending package. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"VAM47A5NHZH75B5WNXD6E4DNCM","content":"“A handful of politicians wrote the 4,155-page omnibus in a backroom and then whipped it through Congress in three days,” <a href=https://www.sltrib.com/"https://twitter.com/RepChrisStewart/status/1606012857786646529/" target=\"_blank\">Rep. Chris Stewart wrote on Twitter</a> Thursday. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"6HAPLLQQKBBQHMVBB5AXOCWODM","content":"“This is no way to govern, and it’s no way to spend $1.7 trillion of taxpayer money,” Stewart added. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"G3SCDWIWMRBTDPSWCMMYA7RBKU","content":"<a href=https://www.sltrib.com/"https://twitter.com/RepJohnCurtis/status/1606092335753748480/" target=\"_blank\">Rep. John Curtis said in a statement </a>that the massive funding bill “further contributes to our already unsustainable national debt, all while helping fuel out-of-control inflation.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"2VQTZWEFL5FGBPTLLTUKQKGYCU","content":"While Curtis said that he’s thankful the package includes legislation he’d advocated for, he also couldn’t support the bill because of the short amount of time members of Congress were given to review the package ahead of the holiday weekend. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"S7YUVMSSKRF5RMFHPABQ6ZAQQ4","content":"“Utahns balance their own budgets and Washington should be able too,” he said. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"N2XDJ7CGMJH3RPXEFMAVBJM7PU","raw_oembed":{},"type":"oembed_response"},{"_id":"MPIUM6SGWVDCHOY5Z3SQTI5EAI","content":"The Senate passed the defense-heavy measure with significant bipartisan support on Thursday, but the vote was much more split in the House. Some 30 GOP lawmakers promised to block any legislative priority that comes from those Republican senators who voted for the bill and leadership urged a no vote.","type":"text"},{"_id":"ZPEMFDWYMJH7BG35SH673P2MF4","content":"Utah Sen. Mike Lee voted against the measure, while Sen. Mitt Romney was the only member of the Utah delegation to vote to send the bill to Biden.","type":"text"},{"_id":"PV6U5KDYO5GNLMBKUA7PBM2LUI","content":"The bill runs for 4,155 pages, not including amendments the Senate added. It contains about a 6% percent increase in spending for domestic initiatives, to $772.5 billion. Spending on defense programs will increase by about 10% to $858 billion.","type":"text"},{"_id":"GRGIINLJJJB3VLW22ODV7RIMJA","content":"The bill’s passage came only hours before financing for federal agencies expires. Lawmakers have passed two stopgap spending measures to keep the government operating so far for this budget year and a third was set to pass Friday as well to ensure services continue until Biden could sign the full-year measure, called an omnibus, into law.","type":"text"},{"_id":"JALE3HF25ZG5FPX2GHKMRSTTQI","content":"The massive bill wraps together 12 appropriations bills, aid to Ukraine and disaster relief for communities recovering from hurricanes, flooding and wildfires. It also contains scores of policy changes that lawmakers worked to include in the final major bill being considered by the current Congress.","type":"text"},{"_id":"VJFSOWNCDFCDHO56S56EKLKKEM","content":"Lawmakers provided roughly $45 billion for Ukraine and NATO allies, more than even Biden requested, an acknowledgment that future rounds of funding are not guaranteed with a new GOP-led House.","type":"text"},{"_id":"IKEDYHNDHBGATDMTEVTZSHVEGQ","content":"In a dramatic address to a joint meeting of Congress on Wednesday night, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told lawmakers that the aid was not charity, but an investment in global security and democracy.","type":"text"},{"_id":"IQODBS2WUNHY3ECN4JAWNU4LUA","content":"Though Ukraine aid has largely had bipartisan support, some House Republicans have been critical of the effort, arguing the money is better spent on priorities in the U.S.","type":"text"},{"_id":"KTSJYWPCQBCYFGEKIZLSPZBTKM","content":"“How can we send an additional $47 BILLION to Ukraine for security while terrorists, drugs, and criminals flood our southern border?” tweeted Rep. Matt Rosendale, R-Mont.","type":"text"},{"_id":"HM3PCQYWUZFTJM7P6GQIIOT4E4","content":"“$100 billion to Ukraine. Let’s put that in perspective,” tweeted Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., who included past rounds of aid in his count. “That’s more than $200 million this year from each Congressional district. What could your congressman have done for your district with $200 million?”","type":"text"},{"_id":"MBW3W7EZGJDX7AV4A2S7IVEGGE","content":"McCarthy has warned that Republicans would not write a “blank check” for Ukraine in the next Congress. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said after Thursday’s vote he’s having trouble understanding the concerns.","type":"text"},{"_id":"VZNMQOPX4BFBHNTZ6VOOZJH22Q","content":"“I’m just befuddled by some of these right-wing Republicans who don’t want to help Ukraine,” Schumer said. “It’s always been, the more hard right you were, the more anti-Soviet you were, but all of a sudden, they’re pro. I hope it’s not a residue of Trump.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"DLVGVKKH2BGQHHWZVSJKIPV3D4","content":"The Senate passed the funding package Thursday by a vote of 68-29 but it takes time for the Senate clerk’s office to review the bill and include amendments that were added that day. As a result, the bill ended up passing with a half-empty House chamber. More than 220 lawmakers sought the option to vote by proxy, and many raced to get out of town before risking canceled flights and spending Christmas in Washington.","type":"text"},{"_id":"PBWF3HTIZRHAXN2CRNMQLU2YOU","content":"Republicans have vowed that abolishing the practice of remote voting will be among their first acts in the majority next year.","type":"text"},{"_id":"VHOOWVKVDRCNNOPK3DDRU77KMM","content":"The funding bill also contains roughly $40 billion in emergency spending in the U.S., mostly to assist communities across the country recovering from drought, hurricanes and other natural disasters.","type":"text"},{"_id":"NX3PO66DUVG7ZJBB2TRONI4P6I","content":"And it has scores of policy changes largely unrelated to spending that lawmakers worked furiously behind the scenes to include, else they start from scratch next year in a divided Congress where Republicans will be returning to the majority in the House.","type":"text"},{"_id":"CBSBVAYDIZEEHGEGBF7735BELU","content":"One of the most notable examples was a historic revision to federal election law that aims to prevent any future presidents or presidential candidates from trying to overturn an election.","type":"text"},{"_id":"6L7TION2PVBCDOX322QX265R6Y","content":"The bipartisan overhaul of the Electoral Count Act is in direct response to former President Donald Trump’s efforts to persuade Republican lawmakers and then-Vice President Mike Pence to object to the certification of Biden’s victory on Jan. 6, 2021.","type":"text"},{"_id":"OW7JISQUWNAAZL4CHWJD5Y42GE","content":"Among the spending increases Democrats emphasized: a $500 increase in the maximum size of Pell grants for low-income college students, a $100 million increase in block grants to states for substance abuse prevention and treatment programs, a 22% increase in spending on VA medical care and $3.7 billion to provide emergency relief to farmers and ranchers hit by natural disasters, just to name a few.","type":"text"},{"_id":"2H36OCC7DZEMZKDBVMVDAD7EZ4","content":"The bill also provides roughly $15.3 billion for more than 7,200 projects that lawmakers sought for their home states and districts. Under revamped rules for community project funding, also referred to as earmarks, lawmakers must post their requests online and attest they have no financial interest in the projects. Still, many fiscal conservatives criticize the earmarking as leading to unnecessary spending.","type":"text"},{"_id":"LJBFRAO6QNGQ7BQANTKKEEPG5M","content":"<i>The Salt Lake Tribune’s Jeff Parrott reported from Salt Lake City. </i>","type":"text"}],"credits":{"by":[{"name":"Kevin Freking | The Associated Press"},{"_id":"jparrott","image":{"url":"https://s3.amazonaws.com/arc-authors/sltrib/18fbf0e3-20ea-4949-8778-4e8e904e444f.png"},"name":"Jeff Parrott"}]},"display_date":"2022-12-23T23:16:13.925Z","headlines":{"basic":"Utah’s four GOP congressmen vote ‘nay,’ as House passes $1.7 trillion spending bill with Ukraine aid"},"last_updated_date":"2022-12-23T23:16:14.542Z","promo_items":{"basic":{"caption":"(J. Scott Applewhite | AP) The Senate side of the Capitol is seen in Washington, early Thursday, Dec. 22, 2022, as lawmakers rush to complete passage of a bill to fund the government before a midnight Friday deadline, at the Capitol in Washington, Thursday, Dec. 22, 2022.","url":"https://cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/sltrib/KB2NIEKJEZBZ3JUBEEYLJDSAIU.jpg"}},"publish_date":"2022-12-23T23:16:13.925Z","subheadlines":{"basic":"Sen. Mitt Romney was the only member of Utah’s congressional delegation to vote to send the government funding package to President Joe Biden’s desk. "},"taxonomy":{"primary_section":{"_id":"/news/politics","name":"Politics","parent_id":"/news","path":"/news/politics"},"sites":[{"name":"Politics","path":"/news/politics"}],"tags":[{"description":"Politics","slug":"politics","text":"Politics"},{"description":"Stories about Washington, D.C. - politics","slug":"federal","text":"federal"},{"description":"Mike Lee","slug":"mike-lee","text":"Mike Lee"},{"description":"Mitt Romney","slug":"mitt-romney","text":"Mitt Romney"},{"description":"Chris Stewart","slug":"chris-stewart","text":"Chris Stewart"},{"description":"John Curtis","slug":"john-curtis","text":"John Curtis"}]},"website_url":"/news/politics/2022/12/23/utahs-four-gop-congressmen-vote"},{"_id":"4KHUKQGYYRCSNBWULMFQNLCPDE","canonical_url":"/news/politics/2022/12/23/jan-6-report-sheds-new-details","content_elements":[{"_id":"2T5AWJWZNBFPFMTASBND2SM254","content":"The final report from the House Jan. 6 committee shows Utah Republican Sen. Mike Lee was aware of Donald Trump and his allies’ efforts to manufacture electoral votes for Trump in states won by Democrat Joe Biden in 2020 and to subvert the counting of actual votes in Congress.","type":"text"},{"_id":"LED5VFHO5RGUPNYOQ7JGETEAZE","content":"The 845-page report details a multi-pronged effort by Trump and others to promote false claims that his loss in the 2020 presidential election resulted from rampant voter fraud. Those falsehoods led to a mob of Trump supporters overrunning the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.","type":"text"},{"_id":"TFWIEXISG5B6RJEUNRDVKQ7J64","content":"Lee encouraged the idea of alternate electors","type":"header"},{"_id":"2WTPWGTGWJC3HHSFWCCZ5MPGHI","content":"The Jan. 6 committee’s report provides several new details about Lee’s actions in support of Trump after the election was called for Biden, most notably a campaign directed by attorney John Eastman to have legislators in some states to appoint electors for Trump.","type":"text"},{"_id":"NBD7Z25P5RG47AOQDRWGV62AGY","content":"<a href=https://www.sltrib.com/"https://www.sltrib.com/news/politics/2022/04/25/what-utah-sen-mike-lee//" target=\"_blank\">Lee has repeatedly claimed he was merely investigating “rumors”</a> that some states were considering sending alternate slates of electors to Congress. That claim is contradicted by the report, which says Lee “spent a month encouraging the idea of having State legislatures endorse competing electors for Trump.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"FVJHLU267ZDRTPYEZGKIXJPFLE","content":"Lee communicated with key players in the fake electors plot during the time between the 2020 election and Jan. 6. Text messages in the report suggest Lee took an active role in making sure the effort was legal, while there are no messages that support his claim of being an investigator.","type":"text"},{"_id":"AM77IXHEBJEVBJEEQUABF22IGE","content":"On Dec. 8, 2020, Lee brought up the alternate elector scheme, texting Mark Meadows, then-White House chief of staff, “If a very small handful of states were to have their legislatures appoint alternate slates of electors, there could be a path.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"RMU35JEVGFHHNJ4ZWZKTMGMJQY","content":"<a href=https://www.sltrib.com/"https://www.sltrib.com/news/politics/2022/10/17/live-summary-evan-mcmullin-mike//" target=\"_blank\">During an October 2022 debate against </a>independent Senate candidate Evan McMullin, Lee denied he “supported or ever did support a fake electors plot” and accused McMullin of a “reckless disregard for the truth.” Lee won reelection in November and will start his third term in the chamber next month.","type":"text"},{"_id":"KFC3U6VGYZFTHH2VGEEMYBHC4Y","content":"Lee’s office did not answer questions about whether he disagreed with the report or how it squared with his explanation of his role after the 2020 elections.","type":"text"},{"_id":"R7RHUYD72BD6HBWWI5E5SNCUXA","content":"Lee worries about “slippery slope problem”","type":"header"},{"_id":"JVCR3BHRKJGK5AIWFX3J7JG3FE","content":"The newly released report also details previously unknown communications between Lee and senior Trump legal adviser Cleta Mitchell from texts she turned over to investigators. <a href=https://www.sltrib.com/"https://www.npr.org/2021/01/06/953823383/attorney-on-call-with-trump-and-georgia-officials-resigns-from-law-firm/">Mitchell was part of the infamous phone call</a> where <a href=https://www.sltrib.com/"https://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/03/us/politics/trump-raffensperger-call-georgia.html/">Trump pressured Georgia election officials</a> to “find” 11,780 votes to overturn his loss in that state.","type":"text"},{"_id":"MWYV6OREYRHHTLJH6DG2JOE65M","content":"In the week ahead of the Jan. 6 insurrection, Lee’s text messages to Mitchell show him taking a hard pivot away from the alternate elector plot, seemingly understanding it was doomed to fail because no state legislatures had signed off, calling the plan for members of Congress objecting to certifying the election a “dangerous idea.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"IWOXPH7MBJDCZJFXRU44CG4AFE","content":"“I don’t think we have any valid basis for objecting to the electors,” Lee wrote on Dec. 30. “It cannot be true that we can object to any state’s presidential electors simply because we don’t think they handled their election well or suspect illegal activity.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"TAQ5Q2ZEEZB3XAHF43YR6LAJV4","content":"In previously released text messages, Lee told Meadows that he’d been working “14 hours a day” to find a path he could “persuasively defend.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"2GIST22ZUBHPFBYK2I2PLF4I3M","content":"“I only know that this will end badly for the president unless we have the Constitution on our side,” Lee texted the chief of staff on Jan. 3.","type":"text"},{"_id":"LDCP73QGVVBJBNE5TNJPCXG7MY","content":"“We need something from state legislatures to make this legitimate and to have any hope of winning. Even if they can’t convene, it might be enough if a majority of them are willing to sign a statement indicating how they would vote,” Lee told Meadows the following day.","type":"text"},{"_id":"VKUWIMLFKFABDG5Z7QZGFMTCFI","content":"When it became clear to Lee that the Trump team planned to move forward with an effort to have members of Congress object to electoral results without sign-off by state lawmakers, the Utahn warned Mitchell that their plan could lead to unforeseen consequences.","type":"text"},{"_id":"D7EPREQYKRDPJFSYI5ILKRUZGY","content":"“Will you please explain to me how this doesn’t create a slippery slope problem for all future presidential elections,” Lee texted Mitchell.","type":"text"},{"_id":"ZNZHKQQFNBHSRDALQNVPXBKHOA","content":"Lee and Mitchell are longtime associates. Mitchell represented Lee’s campaign in <a href=https://www.sltrib.com/"https://www.fec.gov/resources/cms-content/documents/lra_1044_ogc_recommendation_memo_mike_lee.pdf/">a 2017 case in front of the Federal Election Commission</a>. She also signed a 2018 letter <a href=https://www.sltrib.com/"https://www.freedomworks.org/press/freedomworks-president-adam-brandon-signs-letter-conservative-leaders-supporting-senator//">supporting Lee as a potential United States Supreme Court nominee</a>.","type":"text"},{"_id":"TMMJX2B6W5HT7GSNGS3FV4IDRI","content":"Ultimately, Lee did not join several of his Senate Republican colleagues in voting to reject the electoral college results on Jan. 6 because the “rumors” that states were sending alternate electors were unfounded.","type":"text"},{"_id":"3ALG6YSFMRFMDNHIHWYQYWWB3Y","content":"“On that basis, I voted to certify the results of the election,” Lee said during his debate with McMullin. Lee has never publically explained what he would have done if those rumors turned out to be true.","type":"text"},{"_id":"TVMH2R5ITZAWPJRICJW5YFS4VE","content":"Rudy Giuliani called Lee’s phone after the Capitol riot was over on Jan. 6","type":"header"},{"_id":"COFBW4D24RCITMQKTSHKH5I53I","content":"The Salt Lake Tribune previously reported about<a href=https://www.sltrib.com/"https://www.sltrib.com/news/politics/2022/12/19/tribune-story-cited-jan-6-panels//" target=\"_blank\"> Donald Trump’s inadvertently calling Lee’s phone</a> looking for Alabama GOP Sen. Tommy Tuberville as the attack on the U.S. Capitol was underway, but that wasn’t the only interaction Lee had with Trump or his team that day.","type":"text"},{"_id":"PIZNULQNPFBGPK3BJXWAKO2MKY","content":"After Trump posted a video on Twitter telling the rioters to go home, lawyer Rudy Giuliani called several Republicans in Congress, including Lee. Giuliani’s phone records turned over to the committee also show calls to the phones of Sens. Marsha Blackburn, Bill Hagerty, Lindsey Graham, Ted Cruz and Rep. Jim Jordan.","type":"text"},{"_id":"RGZ4QMP5YBEXTIC3WF3CDWCNJ4","content":"The report does not detail whether Giuliani actually spoke to Lee during that phone call. Lee’s office did not respond to questions asking for clarification.","type":"text"},{"_id":"JJ2YXL54GBBBLASMQCHSDPVH3I","content":"At some point, Giuliani left a voicemail on Lee’s phone intended for Tuberville, urging him to object to the certification of the electoral votes to buy time for state legislators to either decertify their presidential electors or appoint new ones.","type":"text"},{"_id":"ZYJ2HBOKVZAZ3BJ4G7N77G2NCM","content":"“The only strategy we can follow is to object to numerous States and raise issues so that we can get ourselves into tomorrow — ideally until the end of tomorrow. So if you could object to every State and, along with a congressman, get a hearing for every state, I know we would delay you a lot, but it would give us the opportunity to get the legislators who are very, very close to pulling their vote,” Giuliani said in that voicemail.","type":"text"},{"_id":"XUQB7FMKZZD37LHAHI7CBJJVZ4","content":"Lee shared Giuliani’s errant message with then-national security advisor Robert O’Brien.","type":"text"},{"_id":"L7HTS77ATFHU3LHOJ6IICH7X3A","content":"“You can’t make this up. I just got this voice message [from] Rudy Giuliani, who apparently thought he was calling Senator Tuberville,” Lee texted O’Brien. “You’ve got to listen to that message. Rudy is walking malpractice.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"PYMQELIWOJAEVHYK74DV3YIKEU","content":"Lee’s other contacts about the 2020 election","type":"header"},{"_id":"DZOEKXGGXND6NJAYULZ4DBHS7M","content":"In a Nov. 9, 2020, text message to Meadows, Lee pushed for lawyer Sidney Powell to gain access to the president, describing her as a “straight shooter.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"PODLRQRHZ5BB5H36NHNI2QUH2Y","content":"“Apparently, she has a strategy to keep things alive and put several states back in play. Can you help her get in?” Lee texted.","type":"text"},{"_id":"EX2VA2I46FGE3HEKCDOKE7R2HI","content":"Later, Lee quickly backed away from Powell following a press conference where she pushed an outlandish conspiracy theory that a vast plot, including George Soros and deceased Venezuelan dictator Hugo Chavez, had rigged voting machines to steal the election from Trump.","type":"text"},{"_id":"3EWYLW3LQBCTPJPL6MD77H3UYE","content":"<a href=https://www.sltrib.com/"https://january6th.house.gov/sites/democrats.january6th.house.gov/files/20220507_Sidney Powell.pdf/" target=\"_blank\">The transcript of Powell’s interview with the House committee</a> suggests her post-election contacts with Lee were more extensive.","type":"text"},{"_id":"E5KSVW4CSVBHDEZUGMBB7OL4ME","content":"Powell says she remembered attending one meeting with several members of Congress at the invitation of Lee.","type":"text"},{"_id":"AXKY2YSZJJA4PEFM3JDREZXEYI","content":"“The one meeting I remember in connection with the election was at the request of Senator Lee who asked me to come meet with whoever wanted to show up to listen to what I was seeing at that point,” Powell told investigators.","type":"text"},{"_id":"6YMHPTS4FFHWRFYCKRXD7G73BM","content":"The transcript of Powell’s testimony suggests she spoke with Lee more than one time following the election. Investigators asked Powell: “If (Lee) said that he spoke to you several times regarding your claims or theories with respect to the election, would that jive with your memory?”","type":"text"},{"_id":"ZJUKKIJNPND7NKARUAAWW7GV2Q","content":"“I certainly wouldn’t dispute it,” Powell answered.","type":"text"},{"_id":"ZU42JZHUKRH3PHO6IDUQ4V6TS4","content":"The committee also asked Eastman about a National Review article where he said he was working with Lee on “broader things.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"IEQ6F2G3DBBMXPNFFPMQZWERKQ","content":"In his answer, Eastman invoked his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination, according to the committee’s transcript of that interview.","type":"text"},{"_id":"B3SBY6Y5XRA55CUL6XE6VECOOA","content":"They also asked Eastman if he had a conversation with Lee, to which he also invoked his Constitutional rights.","type":"text"},{"_id":"FL5G6OU5SNDFXKKCYIHFRJQ7DI","content":"Earlier this week, the <a href=https://www.sltrib.com/"https://www.sltrib.com/news/politics/2022/12/19/jan-6-committee-approved//" target=\"_blank\">Jan. 6 committee unanimously recommended criminal charges</a> against Eastman and Trump.","type":"text"},{"_id":"VGT37FX7PBEVNMAD7KUQCSFDW4","content":"<br/>","type":"text"}],"credits":{"by":[{"_id":"bschott","image":{"url":"https://s3.amazonaws.com/arc-authors/sltrib/6bb34475-143e-45e3-92c7-cf9ed4b9cac9.jpg"},"name":"Bryan Schott"}]},"display_date":"2022-12-23T21:23:26.446Z","headlines":{"basic":"Jan. 6 report sheds new details about Sen. Mike Lee’s efforts to help Trump overturn 2020 election"},"last_updated_date":"2022-12-24T02:11:18.422Z","promo_items":{"basic":{"caption":"(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) President Donald Trump is joined by Sen. Mike Lee at the Utah Capitol on Monday, Dec. 4, 2017. The final report for the House Jan. 6 committee gives new details into Lee's efforts to help Trump overturn his 2020 election loss.","url":"https://cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/sltrib/UAMZCAYZG5H2HGVV7ZBHEUN5ZM.jpg"}},"publish_date":"2022-12-24T02:11:17.972Z","subheadlines":{"basic":"The House Jan. 6 committee reported that Lee “spent a month encouraging the idea” of alternate state electors, before worrying about a “slippery slope problem” for future elections. "},"taxonomy":{"primary_section":{"_id":"/news/politics","name":"Politics","parent_id":"/news","path":"/news/politics"},"sites":[{"name":"Politics","path":"/news/politics"}],"tags":[{"description":"Politics","slug":"politics","text":"Politics"},{"description":"Stories about Washington, D.C. - politics","slug":"federal","text":"federal"},{"description":"Mike Lee","slug":"mike-lee","text":"Mike Lee"},{"description":"Eligible stories for other news organizations to pick up","slug":"collab","text":"collab"}]},"website_url":"/news/politics/2022/12/23/jan-6-report-sheds-new-details"}],"_id":"14aa02e9f8d7b0945050b812087e0678f7e0543a227bb35a9ed9ab1906c1f845"}" sltrib_deployment="production">","type":"raw_html"},{"_id":"BO624C6YCJDC7JLYPXLTX5PBGM","content":"On Dec. 30, Mitchell texted Lee asking if there was a way to hold a hearing in the Senate so that she could present what turned out to be baseless claims of election fraud.","type":"text"},{"_id":"UKD3TT6PKFFU5BHO3PWP37RT7A","content":"“Is there a way the Senate can conduct a hearing to allow me to present our election contest in GA? And other lawyers re the contested states? To make a record?” Mitchell texted. “We need a day in the court of public opinion. Can we do that please?”","type":"text"},{"_id":"M23C2XWMYZE4ZPB7P4Z3OUTO5I","content":"In the exchange, Lee agreed to approach Sen. Lindsey Graham, a South Carolina Republican and chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, to pitch him on the idea.","type":"text"},{"_id":"JIFHSLNIGVDZPPWPTAP4HTSS2M","content":"The idea of a public hearing was a last-ditch effort by the Trump team to give those false claims of a fraudulent election the veneer of legitimacy and hopefully convince members of Congress to object to certifying Biden’s win.","type":"text"},{"_id":"ZK2MBBCLINB5TJCV4GJXHWXNBI","content":"“If we could pull this off, might it obviate the need for the January 6 strategy?” Lee asked, referencing the plan for members of Congress to reject electoral votes from states won by Joe Biden.","type":"text"},{"_id":"GOEA5GDMBJADDG64FMVIEPPBN4","content":"“It is part of the strategy. To provide factual support for rejecting certain troublesome electors. That’s the point.” Mitchell replied.","type":"text"},{"_id":"AH3XL7RY4BFSZKJNLAHBUTTCIA","content":"Lee again told Mitchell he did not think Congress had any valid basis for objecting to electors, but he “would love to be proven wrong.” Ultimately, the <a href=https://www.sltrib.com/"https://www.sltrib.com/news/politics/2022/06/09/new-court-filings-raise//" target=\"_blank\">Utah senator did vote to certify Biden’s electoral victory</a>, an act he has since said vindicates his actions. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"5V773H6DOVGJFCU2W3YVP4TISM","content":"<a href=https://www.sltrib.com/"https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GPO-J6-REPORT/pdf/GPO-J6-REPORT.pdf/">The committee’s final report</a> says Lee “spent a month encouraging the idea of having State legislatures endorse competing electors for Trump” but backed down when it was clear Trump’s team was moving ahead with the plan to introduce fake electors on Jan. 6.","type":"text"},{"_id":"H4X6FSJP3NDKLJ74DQK7KZM374","content":"Lee’s text messages with Meadows show he was still trying to find a way to make the scheme somehow fit within the Constitution as late as Jan. 4, 2021. Lee told Meadows he was “spending 14 hours a day” on the plan, suggesting the framework of the Constitution might have some wiggle room.","type":"text"},{"_id":"IG3QX5POXZAZLKE65ZLNSNV6DI","content":"“We need something from state legislatures to make this legitimate and to have any hope of winning. Even if they can’t convene, it might be enough if a majority of them are willing to sign a statement indicating how they would vote. And I’ve been working on doing that all day today,” Lee wrote.","type":"text"},{"_id":"B5DPAVSVIJDQHPRPV3SSH5ISG4","content":"With the Jan. 6 deadline rapidly approaching, Chris Hodgson, an aide to then Vice President Mike Pence, <a href=https://www.sltrib.com/"https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GPO-J6-TRANSCRIPT-CTRL0000060753/pdf/GPO-J6-TRANSCRIPT-CTRL0000060753.pdf/">revealed Lee was considering raising a “Constitutional point of order”</a> to put the Senate into recess until a legal challenge to the election results in Georgia could be sorted out. That could delay the certification and buy some time to convince other state lawmakers to appoint alternate electors.","type":"text"},{"_id":"VGT37FX7PBEVNMAD7KUQCSFDW4","content":"<br/>","type":"text"}],"credits":{"by":[{"_id":"bschott","image":{"url":"https://s3.amazonaws.com/arc-authors/sltrib/6bb34475-143e-45e3-92c7-cf9ed4b9cac9.jpg"},"name":"Bryan Schott"}]},"display_date":"2023-01-04T13:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"How Utah Sen. Mike Lee tried to make the scheme to overturn Trump’s election loss fit the Constitution"},"last_updated_date":"2023-01-04T13:00:01.912Z","promo_items":{"basic":{"caption":"(Mariam Zuhaib | AP) Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, speaks during a news conference on spending, Wednesday, Dec. 14, 2022, on Capitol Hill in Washington. Newly-released materials from the House Jan. 6 committee show Lee worked with a top Trump campaign legal adviser on strategies for overturning the 2020 election.","url":"https://cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/sltrib/5ZSQV6DVRFESZNE62DTKNAAXWM.jpg"}},"publish_date":"2023-01-04T13:00:01.920Z","subheadlines":{"basic":"According to the House Jan. 6 Committee, Lee was communicating with a top Trump campaign lawyer about strategies for keeping Trump in the White House after the 2020 election."},"taxonomy":{"primary_section":{"_id":"/news/politics","name":"Politics","parent_id":"/news","path":"/news/politics"},"sites":[{"name":"Politics","path":"/news/politics"}],"tags":[{"description":"Politics","slug":"politics","text":"Politics"},{"description":"Stories about Washington, D.C. - politics","slug":"federal","text":"federal"},{"description":"Mike Lee","slug":"mike-lee","text":"Mike Lee"},{"description":"Donald Trump","slug":"donald-trump","text":"Donald Trump"}]},"website_url":"/news/politics/2023/01/04/how-utah-sen-mike-lee-tried-make"},{"_id":"UEK4LNTD25HORKMRFXYRBQRTW4","canonical_url":"/news/politics/2023/01/03/kevin-mccarthy-loses-first-two","content_elements":[{"_id":"HMYQZJVZAFBBBNPB6DMWGUEP4M","content":"On the opening day of the 118th Congress, Utah Rep. Chris Stewart is displeased with his fellow Republicans in the U.S. House of Representatives who have refused to elect California Rep. Kevin McCarthy as the chamber’s new House speaker.","type":"text"},{"_id":"F7XMRMKXBBDY5NSIGEIBWNUUYA","content":"After more than five hours of floor time and three rounds of voting Tuesday, the House adjourned without a speaker and will return at Wednesday 12 p.m EST.","type":"text"},{"_id":"7RLGCALD7ZBULK6F5OW3JN2CUQ","content":"McCarthy has run into strong opposition from his political right, who think the Californian should not lead the recently GOP-flipped chamber.","type":"text"},{"_id":"7TWRGBM6XZFE5ODT6EGHDZIG6Y","content":"“A small group of egotistical members are currently holding up the House Speaker vote,” Stewart wrote on Twitter amid a chaotic second vote on Tuesday. “But they have no candidate. They have no consensus. And they have no goal.","type":"text"},{"_id":"OW7CWYJ7BRGCXOGLR672XTJ4TU","content":"“Don’t buy their empty rhetoric about ‘draining the swamp,’” he added. “They just want fifteen minutes of fame.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"47LEXJNB4BFMRDBONRZ3MSQ4YI","raw_oembed":{},"type":"oembed_response"},{"_id":"QH34A6JGKRGY3OQ6PF2YUXCJHQ","content":"Democrats, who were led by another Californian, Rep. Nancy Pelosi, during the last two congresses, maintained a united front Tuesday. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"QOETCSDSWFBT3IYGKFNGEFMPPA","content":"McCarthy garnered only 203 Republican votes the first two rounds, as all 212 Democrats voted all three rounds for recently-elected minority leader, New York Rep. Hakeem Jeffries. During the third round Tuesday afternoon, <a href=https://www.sltrib.com/"https://twitter.com/RepDonaldsPress/status/1610394080118247429/" target=\"_blank\">Florida Republican Rep. Byron Donalds</a> flipped from voting for McCarthy to an opposing GOP candidate during the third round of votes. Before deciding on a fourth round of voting, the House decided to adjourn for the evening. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"5HJVA7KZ6ZCXVPRSEUHJXSFIOM","content":"Appearing to troll Republicans, <a href=https://www.sltrib.com/"https://twitter.com/tedlieu/status/1610316616679530497/" target=\"_blank\">Rep. Ted Lieu, D-California, said on Twitter </a>that he was taking popcorn to the House floor on Tuesday.","type":"text"},{"_id":"QWFMHFLDY5BC3DFRFDVCTQHW4M","content":"Utah’s Reps. Stewart, Blake Moore, John Curtis and Burgess Owens voted for McCarthy during the three rounds.","type":"text"},{"_id":"OBFZ3CABK5ASPGIQCAMR3QIOVQ","caption":"(Kenny Holston | The New York Times) Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), nominates Rep. Kevin McCarthy, (R-Calif.), for House Speaker ahead of a second round of voting in the House Chamber on Capitol Hill, in Washington on Tuesday, Jan. 3, 2023. McCarthy lost the support of more than a dozen Republicans, leaving him all but certain to fail in the first vote for speaker. He needs a majority of the House to get the job, and no Democrats are expected to back him.","subtitle":"Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), nominates Rep. Kevin McCarthy, (R-Calif.), for House Speaker ahead of a second round of voting in the House Chamber on Capitol Hill, in Washington on Tuesday, Jan. 3, 2023. (Kenny Holston/The New York Times)","type":"image","url":"https://cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/sltrib/OBFZ3CABK5ASPGIQCAMR3QIOVQ.jpg"},{"_id":"DH5DAYM2BJDL7KPI6RGXHYGMFU","content":"Without a speaker in place, the House did not swear in the incoming class of lawmakers for the 118th Congress, but those freshly-elected representatives were able to vote in the speaker’s race. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"ID7DRFA4UFFF5J62E7ZIX2PUGM","content":"Republicans have a narrow, 222-seat majority in the House, which has left McCarthy with very little room to lose support from members of his own party. The <a href=https://www.sltrib.com/"https://www.sltrib.com/news/politics/2022/11/08/utah-rep-blake-moore-wins//" target=\"_blank\">GOP narrowly flipped the House this past November</a> during the midterm elections.","type":"text"},{"_id":"LIFF7XRRB5GZRI2Q5WSZ7NYJRE","content":"For weeks ahead of Tuesday’s vote, <a href=https://www.sltrib.com/"https://apnews.com/article/biden-politics-us-republican-party-united-states-house-of-representatives-kevin-mccarthy-8b1d6cdf0d75dfc95b195c301f9ae344?utm_source=homepage&utm_medium=TopNews&utm_campaign=position_02\%22 target=\"_blank\">McCarthy sparred with members of his own party</a>, with negotiations and pleas of support lasting through Tuesday’s votes, The Associated Press reported.","type":"text"},{"_id":"FBNFZZXRGRC3HA5P3UHJIDUJTY","content":"Deeply conservative members of the House, like Colorado Rep. Lauren Boebert, have voiced their opposition to McCarthy. Boebert <a href=https://www.sltrib.com/"https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1610306654809260034?s=46&t=HP1PiugJMJ0h6ugePnyxsQ\%22 target=\"_blank\">told reporters Tuesday</a> morning she would not be voting for McCarthy, comparing his actions to the former House Speaker Pelosi. Boebert later voted for Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, during each round of votes.","type":"text"},{"_id":"OTU7BNDJ55GSDEKDE34CCJHJ44","content":"No candidate for House Speaker reached the 218-vote threshold during the rounds of voting, something that hasn’t happened since 1923, according to the AP. In total, 19 representatives didn’t opt for McCarthy or Jeffries during the first round of voting, including 10 votes for Arizona Rep. Andy Biggs. Twenty voted against McCarthy in Tuesday’s final round. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"HEOEVOTJHRAKPJTOX32RJJLHFA","caption":"(Alex Brandon | AP) Rep. Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., right, listens as Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., nominates Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, for Speaker of the House on the opening day of the 118th Congress at the U.S. Capitol, Tuesday, Jan. 3, 2023, in Washington.","type":"image","url":"https://cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/sltrib/HEOEVOTJHRAKPJTOX32RJJLHFA.jpg"},{"_id":"P33IB7PL4FHLLA6WH6HFMTNR4Q","content":"In hopes of ginning up support for McCarthy, Jordan nominated McCarthy during the second round of voting. However, Jordan was quickly followed up by Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Florida, who nominated the Ohioan.","type":"text"},{"_id":"ORBKYHUXUZGDHJMVMBXSZBWCHA","content":"“I rise to nominate the most talented, hardest working member of the Republican conference who just gave a speech with more vision than we have ever heard from the alternative,” Gaetz said on the House Floor. “I’m nominating Jim Jordan.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"E3L23UO43RAOPH6T6LT2YI4WD4","content":"Jordan ended up receiving all 19 dissenting votes from GOP representatives during the second round, effectively blocking McCarthy’s election despite Jordan’s support.","type":"text"},{"_id":"BJSUATXSPZD3NJK2SBIRYQBG4M","content":"In the third round of votes, Louisiana Rep. Steve Scalise nominated McCarthy, and Texas Rep. Chip Roy nominated Jordan. McCarthy garnered 202 votes during the vote, while Jeffries — who was nominated by California Rep. Pete Aguilar before all three votes — gathered 212 and Jordan had 20 votes.","type":"text"},{"_id":"2M42ZHFL4VFXHAEE2N5TYVQMUM","raw_oembed":{},"type":"oembed_response"},{"_id":"YQYOXNXIIRBLRF2LV6K3ERFBRA","content":"Utah’s <a href=https://www.sltrib.com/"https://twitter.com/RepBurgessOwens/status/1610342531480313860/">Owens said in a tweet</a> Tuesday morning that he proudly supports McCarthy for Speaker. Owens, who was starting his second term in the House, said McCarthy has led the House GOP, “into the majority and unified our conference behind a bold agenda that brings commonsense solutions back to the People’s House.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"TT7JXFSOTBB3VCM66JPI3HMPHE","content":"In December, <a href=https://www.sltrib.com/"https://www.sltrib.com/news/politics/2022/12/02/utahs-blake-moore-john-curtis//" target=\"_blank\">Moore and Curtis urged their GOP colleagues</a> to elect McCarthy as House Speaker. The two were part of 21 Republicans from the Republican Governance Group who signed a letter in support of the California Republican.","type":"text"},{"_id":"LIFF7XRRB5GZRI2Q5WSZ7NYJRE","content":"Moore <a href=https://www.sltrib.com/"https://www.wsj.com/articles/kevin-mccarthys-house-speaker-bid-teeters-ahead-of-tuesday-vote-11672689601?mod=Searchresults_pos1&page=1\%22 target=\"_blank\">told The Wall Street Journal</a> on Monday he was still backing McCarthy’s bid for speaker.","type":"text"},{"_id":"XOQYB2DDRRCJRCUJRYM3SDUTV4","content":"“If we don’t have a speaker we can’t do any of the things that all of us want to do,” Moore said. “We will either be the party that comes together to advance our agenda or let just a handful make it impossible to accomplish that agenda.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"VZXFYQXMPZEH7A5XP53UL5EAQU","content":"","type":"text"},{"_id":"4NBNH5J4URA6PJQCBU755NQ4KM","content":"<br/>","type":"text"},{"_id":"JM3A4BCRBRB65MYKBRDTMVLX4I","content":"<br/>","type":"text"},{"_id":"LTQ7EC7EJBEEPBYVP4LIZ25MY4","content":"<br/>","type":"text"}],"credits":{"by":[{"_id":"jscholl","image":{"url":"https://s3.amazonaws.com/arc-authors/sltrib/e5fde099-fba4-4d29-8195-ab160d20f27b.png"},"name":"Jacob Scholl"}]},"display_date":"2023-01-03T21:51:17.740Z","headlines":{"basic":"Utah’s GOP delegation supports Kevin McCarthy in House speaker turmoil"},"last_updated_date":"2023-01-03T23:31:54.442Z","promo_items":{"basic":{"caption":"(Susan Walsh | AP) House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy of Calif., is followed by reporters as he heads to the House Floor on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, Jan. 3, 2023.","url":"https://cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/sltrib/NVAGSC4XGBHC5GUYXQCDS3EF3A.jpg"}},"publish_date":"2023-01-03T23:31:53.975Z","subheadlines":{"basic":"The House adjourns until Wednesday after Republicans, who recently gained control of the U.S. House of Representatives during November’s midterm elections, failed to elect a speaker."},"taxonomy":{"primary_section":{"_id":"/news/politics","name":"Politics","parent_id":"/news","path":"/news/politics"},"sites":[{"name":"Politics","path":"/news/politics"},{"name":"News","path":"/news"}],"tags":[{"description":"Politics","slug":"politics","text":"Politics"},{"description":"Stories about Washington, D.C. - politics","slug":"federal","text":"federal"}]},"website_url":"/news/politics/2023/01/03/kevin-mccarthy-loses-first-two"},{"_id":"RPWN7H2A7JD6HKDGAGENY2OMNE","canonical_url":"/news/politics/2022/12/29/overstock-founder-flew-proud","content_elements":[{"_id":"QQJQDENAOBFIJNBNJZZWLCXW5M","content":"The founder and former CEO of Utah-based Overstock, Patrick Byrne, paid for a group of Proud Boys to fly to Washington, D.C., on a private jet to attend a rally held in support of Donald Trump in the days following the president’s defeat in the 2020 election, according to the <a href=https://www.sltrib.com/"https://january6th.house.gov/sites/democrats.january6th.house.gov/files/Report_FinalReport_Jan6SelectCommittee.pdf/" target=\"_blank\">House Jan. 6 committee’s final report</a>.","type":"text"},{"_id":"QZ4NYVFD45CKLKQLXCQWMGFDAE","content":"Among those on the plane was Enrique Tarrio, the then-chairman of Proud Boys. The revelation was cited as having come from a <a href=https://www.sltrib.com/"https://www.sltrib.com/news/politics/2022/07/12/former-overstock-ceo-patrick//" target=\"_blank\">meeting between congressional investigators and Byrne in July</a>. The transcript of that interview is not among those so far released by the Jan. 6 committee.","type":"text"},{"_id":"QCHWE33M3NFPXGVDJCRGNME3DA","content":"According to the committee’s report, Tarrio’s presence at the gathering, which took place on Nov. 14, 2020, “provided a chance for Tarrio to socialize with rally leaders and far-right celebrities.” He met “Stop the Steal” leader Ali Alexander, “InfoWars” hosts Alex Jones and Owen Shroyer. In an interview with investigators, Tarrio called a picture he took with the men “historic.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"KAUH4AG67VET3JGT5BK2NKSGCE","content":"As the November rally continued into the night, violence erupted and protesters, counter-protesters and police officers were injured, <a href=https://www.sltrib.com/"https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2020/11/14/million-maga-march-dc-protests//" target=\"_blank\">The Washington Post reported</a>. According to the committee report, between 200 and 300 Proud Boys participated in the rally.","type":"text"},{"_id":"JLVODMOKCZECDEUHPAJ7XMUAQQ","content":"Byrne’s purchase of the flight was addressed in the committee’s interview with both Tarrio and Bianca Gracia, the president of Latinos for Trump and a former Republican candidate for the Texas state Senate. Tarrio said Gracia arranged the private jet that took him and several other Proud Boys to Washington. Gracia cited the Fifth Amendment in not answering questions about Byrne.","type":"text"},{"_id":"7SSPCOGBFRBSNNB3IWHYABDL6M","content":"Byrne, whose Twitter account had been suspended prior to Elon Musk’s takeover of the social media platform, quoted a tweet pointing out the portion of the report that mentions his paying for the flight, saying, “But you say that like it’s a BAD thing.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"LU6MXUJJWFCBLLSVA6BZRPJHQI","raw_oembed":{},"type":"oembed_response"},{"_id":"AQUJTPRJ5JAFRJBQHRR5GBPHII","content":"Responding to other tweets in the thread, he wrote, “Somebody in DC told me, ‘there are a bunch of patriotic Latinos in Texas who want to come to our rally. Can you send a jet for them?’ I said, ‘sure!’ The entire exchange took about 10 seconds.” He went on to describe the group of Proud Boys who flew on the plane as “Very well-behaved Latinos.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"I4ELSIJEQBH25H2Z75T4QMRJVQ","content":"Byrne did not respond to a request for comment from The Salt Lake Tribune.","type":"text"},{"_id":"QINDX3T2QJFJBKHHDDS36F4ASU","content":"The former CEO’s name came up twice more in the committee’s report — once listing him as a “VIP” at a December rally who was guarded by paramilitary group 1st Amendment Praetorian and because Byrne discusses <a href=https://www.sltrib.com/"https://www.sltrib.com/news/politics/2020/12/21/former-overstockcom-ceo//">a meeting he had with Trump</a>, attorney Sidney Powell, Trump’s former national security advisor retired Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn, and others.","type":"text"},{"_id":"VCOZZLXS3ZHHNNAA3KXCBDVWAY","content":"At the meeting, which lasted several hours, the group reportedly argued that Trump had the authority to seize Dominion Voting Systems voting machines as they pushed election fraud conspiracy theories. Committee members previously called the meeting “unhinged.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"N4D5H3V7XZBIRKAFEEWV2LW6P4","content":"Former White House counsel Pat Cipollone, who was present at the meeting, said in his testimony to the committee, “I was not happy to see the people in the Oval Office. The Overstock person — I didn’t know who this guy was. Actually, the first thing I did, I walked in, I looked at him and I said, ‘Who are you?’”","type":"text"},{"_id":"CZE6QRVNEBFGLD5IPCHSAN6TDE","caption":"(@PatrickByrne on Twitter) Patrick Byrne at the White House","type":"image","url":"https://cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/sltrib/CZE6QRVNEBFGLD5IPCHSAN6TDE.jpeg"},{"_id":"GPOW757BU5CQLPSXO3XAQCP4GU","content":"Cipollone told the committee he did not understand why Byrne was there, and that he didn’t think he was providing Trump with “good advice.” He said he pushed back on the efforts of Byrne and others, that seizing voting machines was a “horrible idea” and that he had seen “no evidence of massive fraud in the election.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"VVW2EWYOMZETDEF3IVEYAB2ZHA","content":"“The Chinese have a song, ‘See cat, paint tiger.’ On Dec. 18, Cipollone saw a cat, and for the Jan. 6 committee he painted a tiger,” Byrne told The Tribune in July.","type":"text"},{"_id":"2WRGMVWLLREYFCI6ANEDFA4C5A","content":"<a href=https://www.sltrib.com/"https://www.sltrib.com/news/politics/2021/12/22/dominion-voting-systems//" target=\"_blank\">Dominion Voting Systems is suing Byrne for $1.7 billion</a> for his repeated “false and defamatory statements” that its voting machines helped steal the 2020 election from Trump.","type":"text"},{"_id":"4XJCPMCF7RGRHKUH5SAHCSM2HM","content":"<a href=https://www.sltrib.com/"https://www.sltrib.com/news/2019/08/22/overstockcom-ceo-resigns//" target=\"_blank\">Byrne resigned from his position</a> as the head of Overstock in 2019 citing an <a href=https://www.sltrib.com/"https://www.sltrib.com/news/2019/09/01/overstocks-ceo-made-big//" target=\"_blank\">alleged romantic relationship he’d had with Russian spy Maria Butina</a>. He claimed he was working as a confidential informant for the FBI.","type":"text"},{"_id":"ZCHG53GGC5HFNLGSUBT7ZZ7TB4","content":"In response to a tweet including a link of this article, Overstock’s Twitter account on Jan. 4 wrote, “Overstock has no current association/affiliation with Patrick Byrne or his efforts. He resigned and sold his ownership in 2019.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"72A5H7ERZVEZPIV7DKHIQVBK7E","content":"<b>Update, Jan. 4, 3:50 p.m. •</b><i><b> </b></i><i>This article has been updated to include comments from a tweet made by Overstock.</i>","type":"text"},{"_id":"DZ2FAKRO5VG2XOOAKSQGUHW64I","content":"<b>Editor’s note •</b><i>This story is available to Salt Lake Tribune subscribers only. Thank you for supporting local journalism.</i>","type":"text"}],"credits":{"by":[{"_id":"eanderson","image":{"url":"https://s3.amazonaws.com/arc-authors/sltrib/b958aa37-3fcf-4154-943a-599d445e94be.png"},"name":"Emily Anderson Stern"}]},"display_date":"2022-12-29T13:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"Overstock founder flew Proud Boys to rally supporting Trump in days after 2020 election, Jan. 6 committee finds"},"last_updated_date":"2023-01-04T22:50:23.682Z","promo_items":{"basic":{"caption":"(Trent Nelson | The Salt Lake Tribune) Former Overstock.com CEO Patrick Byrne prepares to take the stage at the WeCANact Liberty Conference, held at the Salt Palace Convention Center in Salt Lake City on Friday, Oct. 22, 2021. Byrne paid for members of the Proud Boys to take a private jet to Washington, D.C., to attend a rally in support of former President Donald Trump in the days after Trump lost the 2020 election.","url":"https://cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/sltrib/6O3T2NYD55FBPPGWHMSSSB2GQI.jpg"}},"publish_date":"2023-01-04T22:50:22.889Z","subheadlines":{"basic":"Patrick Byrne, a close ally of Donald Trump and the former head of the Utah-based internet retailer, covered the cost of a private jet for the ex-chairman of the Proud Boys to gather with prominent, far-right Trump supporters."},"taxonomy":{"primary_section":{"_id":"/news/politics","name":"Politics","parent_id":"/news","path":"/news/politics"},"sites":[{"name":"Politics","path":"/news/politics"}],"tags":[{"description":"Politics","slug":"politics","text":"Politics"},{"description":"Stories about Washington, D.C. - politics","slug":"federal","text":"federal"},{"description":"Put stories behind the paywall.","slug":"paywall","text":"Paywall"}]},"website_url":"/news/politics/2022/12/29/overstock-founder-flew-proud"},{"_id":"QKDZVNLNWJEZ3GYHB3C7BYOERA","canonical_url":"/news/politics/2022/12/23/utahs-four-gop-congressmen-vote","content_elements":[{"_id":"CEVMQXAFMZCCFH3ZZKKA2QOU5Q","content":"<b>Washington • </b>A $1.7 trillion spending bill financing federal agencies through September and providing more aid to a devastated Ukraine cleared the House on Friday as lawmakers race to finish their work for the year and avoid a partial government shutdown.","type":"text"},{"_id":"TOYVUWOEPJB2JOXZ2GL72WGFLM","content":"The bill passed mostly along party lines, 225-201. It now goes to President Joe Biden to be signed into law.","type":"text"},{"_id":"X5IUMOQDZVADFGRWQA4UMSWV5A","content":"Passage of the bill represented a closing act for Rep. Nancy Pelosi’s second stint as House speaker, and for the Democratic majority she led back to power in the 2018 election. Republicans will take control of the House next year and Rep. Kevin McCarthy is campaigning to replace her.","type":"text"},{"_id":"WD4HZCXUSFBRJLIYUKBXMTYHGU","content":"He is appealing for support from staunch conservatives in his caucus who have largely trashed the size of the bill and many of the priorities it contains. He spoke with a raised voice for about 25 minutes, assailing the bill for spending too much and doing too little to curb illegal immigration and the flow of fentanyl across the U.S.-Mexico border.","type":"text"},{"_id":"EKYS7NXLPZDMDLWCGRXWY5Z5CQ","content":"“This is a monstrosity that is one of the most shameful acts I’ve ever seen in this body,” McCarthy said of the legislation.","type":"text"},{"_id":"ESL5WLZBAZBYPOQ7GWSVMB5S7Y","content":"The speech prompted a quick quip from Rep. Jim McGovern, D-Mass., who said “after listening to that, it’s clear he doesn’t have the votes yet,” a reference to McCarthy’s campaign to become speaker.","type":"text"},{"_id":"4CTQ7QZKIZEQRPHJRBFYXQ3III","content":"Pelosi said “we have a big bill here because we had big needs for the country,” then turned her focus to McCarthy:","type":"text"},{"_id":"Y2B2QTB3ORHBFD6FX6XDUXRZQI","content":"“It was sad to hear the minority leader say that this legislation is the most shameful thing to be seen on the House floor in this Congress,” Pelosi said. “I can’t help but wonder, had he forgotten January 6th?”","type":"text"},{"_id":"SIMDG2VKQFE2HC57QGHBHVSNBY","raw_oembed":{},"type":"oembed_response"},{"_id":"Q5V5CJDWJ5EUJAHGLGO7QYUL5E","content":"<a href=https://www.sltrib.com/"https://clerk.house.gov/Votes/2022549/" target=\"_blank\">Utah’s four GOP congressmen each voted against</a> the spending package. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"VAM47A5NHZH75B5WNXD6E4DNCM","content":"“A handful of politicians wrote the 4,155-page omnibus in a backroom and then whipped it through Congress in three days,” <a href=https://www.sltrib.com/"https://twitter.com/RepChrisStewart/status/1606012857786646529/" target=\"_blank\">Rep. Chris Stewart wrote on Twitter</a> Thursday. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"6HAPLLQQKBBQHMVBB5AXOCWODM","content":"“This is no way to govern, and it’s no way to spend $1.7 trillion of taxpayer money,” Stewart added. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"G3SCDWIWMRBTDPSWCMMYA7RBKU","content":"<a href=https://www.sltrib.com/"https://twitter.com/RepJohnCurtis/status/1606092335753748480/" target=\"_blank\">Rep. John Curtis said in a statement </a>that the massive funding bill “further contributes to our already unsustainable national debt, all while helping fuel out-of-control inflation.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"2VQTZWEFL5FGBPTLLTUKQKGYCU","content":"While Curtis said that he’s thankful the package includes legislation he’d advocated for, he also couldn’t support the bill because of the short amount of time members of Congress were given to review the package ahead of the holiday weekend. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"S7YUVMSSKRF5RMFHPABQ6ZAQQ4","content":"“Utahns balance their own budgets and Washington should be able too,” he said. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"N2XDJ7CGMJH3RPXEFMAVBJM7PU","raw_oembed":{},"type":"oembed_response"},{"_id":"MPIUM6SGWVDCHOY5Z3SQTI5EAI","content":"The Senate passed the defense-heavy measure with significant bipartisan support on Thursday, but the vote was much more split in the House. Some 30 GOP lawmakers promised to block any legislative priority that comes from those Republican senators who voted for the bill and leadership urged a no vote.","type":"text"},{"_id":"ZPEMFDWYMJH7BG35SH673P2MF4","content":"Utah Sen. Mike Lee voted against the measure, while Sen. Mitt Romney was the only member of the Utah delegation to vote to send the bill to Biden.","type":"text"},{"_id":"PV6U5KDYO5GNLMBKUA7PBM2LUI","content":"The bill runs for 4,155 pages, not including amendments the Senate added. It contains about a 6% percent increase in spending for domestic initiatives, to $772.5 billion. Spending on defense programs will increase by about 10% to $858 billion.","type":"text"},{"_id":"GRGIINLJJJB3VLW22ODV7RIMJA","content":"The bill’s passage came only hours before financing for federal agencies expires. Lawmakers have passed two stopgap spending measures to keep the government operating so far for this budget year and a third was set to pass Friday as well to ensure services continue until Biden could sign the full-year measure, called an omnibus, into law.","type":"text"},{"_id":"JALE3HF25ZG5FPX2GHKMRSTTQI","content":"The massive bill wraps together 12 appropriations bills, aid to Ukraine and disaster relief for communities recovering from hurricanes, flooding and wildfires. It also contains scores of policy changes that lawmakers worked to include in the final major bill being considered by the current Congress.","type":"text"},{"_id":"VJFSOWNCDFCDHO56S56EKLKKEM","content":"Lawmakers provided roughly $45 billion for Ukraine and NATO allies, more than even Biden requested, an acknowledgment that future rounds of funding are not guaranteed with a new GOP-led House.","type":"text"},{"_id":"IKEDYHNDHBGATDMTEVTZSHVEGQ","content":"In a dramatic address to a joint meeting of Congress on Wednesday night, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told lawmakers that the aid was not charity, but an investment in global security and democracy.","type":"text"},{"_id":"IQODBS2WUNHY3ECN4JAWNU4LUA","content":"Though Ukraine aid has largely had bipartisan support, some House Republicans have been critical of the effort, arguing the money is better spent on priorities in the U.S.","type":"text"},{"_id":"KTSJYWPCQBCYFGEKIZLSPZBTKM","content":"“How can we send an additional $47 BILLION to Ukraine for security while terrorists, drugs, and criminals flood our southern border?” tweeted Rep. Matt Rosendale, R-Mont.","type":"text"},{"_id":"HM3PCQYWUZFTJM7P6GQIIOT4E4","content":"“$100 billion to Ukraine. Let’s put that in perspective,” tweeted Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., who included past rounds of aid in his count. “That’s more than $200 million this year from each Congressional district. What could your congressman have done for your district with $200 million?”","type":"text"},{"_id":"MBW3W7EZGJDX7AV4A2S7IVEGGE","content":"McCarthy has warned that Republicans would not write a “blank check” for Ukraine in the next Congress. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said after Thursday’s vote he’s having trouble understanding the concerns.","type":"text"},{"_id":"VZNMQOPX4BFBHNTZ6VOOZJH22Q","content":"“I’m just befuddled by some of these right-wing Republicans who don’t want to help Ukraine,” Schumer said. “It’s always been, the more hard right you were, the more anti-Soviet you were, but all of a sudden, they’re pro. I hope it’s not a residue of Trump.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"DLVGVKKH2BGQHHWZVSJKIPV3D4","content":"The Senate passed the funding package Thursday by a vote of 68-29 but it takes time for the Senate clerk’s office to review the bill and include amendments that were added that day. As a result, the bill ended up passing with a half-empty House chamber. More than 220 lawmakers sought the option to vote by proxy, and many raced to get out of town before risking canceled flights and spending Christmas in Washington.","type":"text"},{"_id":"PBWF3HTIZRHAXN2CRNMQLU2YOU","content":"Republicans have vowed that abolishing the practice of remote voting will be among their first acts in the majority next year.","type":"text"},{"_id":"VHOOWVKVDRCNNOPK3DDRU77KMM","content":"The funding bill also contains roughly $40 billion in emergency spending in the U.S., mostly to assist communities across the country recovering from drought, hurricanes and other natural disasters.","type":"text"},{"_id":"NX3PO66DUVG7ZJBB2TRONI4P6I","content":"And it has scores of policy changes largely unrelated to spending that lawmakers worked furiously behind the scenes to include, else they start from scratch next year in a divided Congress where Republicans will be returning to the majority in the House.","type":"text"},{"_id":"CBSBVAYDIZEEHGEGBF7735BELU","content":"One of the most notable examples was a historic revision to federal election law that aims to prevent any future presidents or presidential candidates from trying to overturn an election.","type":"text"},{"_id":"6L7TION2PVBCDOX322QX265R6Y","content":"The bipartisan overhaul of the Electoral Count Act is in direct response to former President Donald Trump’s efforts to persuade Republican lawmakers and then-Vice President Mike Pence to object to the certification of Biden’s victory on Jan. 6, 2021.","type":"text"},{"_id":"OW7JISQUWNAAZL4CHWJD5Y42GE","content":"Among the spending increases Democrats emphasized: a $500 increase in the maximum size of Pell grants for low-income college students, a $100 million increase in block grants to states for substance abuse prevention and treatment programs, a 22% increase in spending on VA medical care and $3.7 billion to provide emergency relief to farmers and ranchers hit by natural disasters, just to name a few.","type":"text"},{"_id":"2H36OCC7DZEMZKDBVMVDAD7EZ4","content":"The bill also provides roughly $15.3 billion for more than 7,200 projects that lawmakers sought for their home states and districts. Under revamped rules for community project funding, also referred to as earmarks, lawmakers must post their requests online and attest they have no financial interest in the projects. Still, many fiscal conservatives criticize the earmarking as leading to unnecessary spending.","type":"text"},{"_id":"LJBFRAO6QNGQ7BQANTKKEEPG5M","content":"<i>The Salt Lake Tribune’s Jeff Parrott reported from Salt Lake City. </i>","type":"text"}],"credits":{"by":[{"name":"Kevin Freking | The Associated Press"},{"_id":"jparrott","image":{"url":"https://s3.amazonaws.com/arc-authors/sltrib/18fbf0e3-20ea-4949-8778-4e8e904e444f.png"},"name":"Jeff Parrott"}]},"display_date":"2022-12-23T23:16:13.925Z","headlines":{"basic":"Utah’s four GOP congressmen vote ‘nay,’ as House passes $1.7 trillion spending bill with Ukraine aid"},"last_updated_date":"2022-12-23T23:16:14.542Z","promo_items":{"basic":{"caption":"(J. Scott Applewhite | AP) The Senate side of the Capitol is seen in Washington, early Thursday, Dec. 22, 2022, as lawmakers rush to complete passage of a bill to fund the government before a midnight Friday deadline, at the Capitol in Washington, Thursday, Dec. 22, 2022.","url":"https://cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/sltrib/KB2NIEKJEZBZ3JUBEEYLJDSAIU.jpg"}},"publish_date":"2022-12-23T23:16:13.925Z","subheadlines":{"basic":"Sen. Mitt Romney was the only member of Utah’s congressional delegation to vote to send the government funding package to President Joe Biden’s desk. "},"taxonomy":{"primary_section":{"_id":"/news/politics","name":"Politics","parent_id":"/news","path":"/news/politics"},"sites":[{"name":"Politics","path":"/news/politics"}],"tags":[{"description":"Politics","slug":"politics","text":"Politics"},{"description":"Stories about Washington, D.C. - politics","slug":"federal","text":"federal"},{"description":"Mike Lee","slug":"mike-lee","text":"Mike Lee"},{"description":"Mitt Romney","slug":"mitt-romney","text":"Mitt Romney"},{"description":"Chris Stewart","slug":"chris-stewart","text":"Chris Stewart"},{"description":"John Curtis","slug":"john-curtis","text":"John Curtis"}]},"website_url":"/news/politics/2022/12/23/utahs-four-gop-congressmen-vote"},{"_id":"4KHUKQGYYRCSNBWULMFQNLCPDE","canonical_url":"/news/politics/2022/12/23/jan-6-report-sheds-new-details","content_elements":[{"_id":"2T5AWJWZNBFPFMTASBND2SM254","content":"The final report from the House Jan. 6 committee shows Utah Republican Sen. Mike Lee was aware of Donald Trump and his allies’ efforts to manufacture electoral votes for Trump in states won by Democrat Joe Biden in 2020 and to subvert the counting of actual votes in Congress.","type":"text"},{"_id":"LED5VFHO5RGUPNYOQ7JGETEAZE","content":"The 845-page report details a multi-pronged effort by Trump and others to promote false claims that his loss in the 2020 presidential election resulted from rampant voter fraud. Those falsehoods led to a mob of Trump supporters overrunning the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.","type":"text"},{"_id":"TFWIEXISG5B6RJEUNRDVKQ7J64","content":"Lee encouraged the idea of alternate electors","type":"header"},{"_id":"2WTPWGTGWJC3HHSFWCCZ5MPGHI","content":"The Jan. 6 committee’s report provides several new details about Lee’s actions in support of Trump after the election was called for Biden, most notably a campaign directed by attorney John Eastman to have legislators in some states to appoint electors for Trump.","type":"text"},{"_id":"NBD7Z25P5RG47AOQDRWGV62AGY","content":"<a href=https://www.sltrib.com/"https://www.sltrib.com/news/politics/2022/04/25/what-utah-sen-mike-lee//" target=\"_blank\">Lee has repeatedly claimed he was merely investigating “rumors”</a> that some states were considering sending alternate slates of electors to Congress. That claim is contradicted by the report, which says Lee “spent a month encouraging the idea of having State legislatures endorse competing electors for Trump.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"FVJHLU267ZDRTPYEZGKIXJPFLE","content":"Lee communicated with key players in the fake electors plot during the time between the 2020 election and Jan. 6. Text messages in the report suggest Lee took an active role in making sure the effort was legal, while there are no messages that support his claim of being an investigator.","type":"text"},{"_id":"AM77IXHEBJEVBJEEQUABF22IGE","content":"On Dec. 8, 2020, Lee brought up the alternate elector scheme, texting Mark Meadows, then-White House chief of staff, “If a very small handful of states were to have their legislatures appoint alternate slates of electors, there could be a path.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"RMU35JEVGFHHNJ4ZWZKTMGMJQY","content":"<a href=https://www.sltrib.com/"https://www.sltrib.com/news/politics/2022/10/17/live-summary-evan-mcmullin-mike//" target=\"_blank\">During an October 2022 debate against </a>independent Senate candidate Evan McMullin, Lee denied he “supported or ever did support a fake electors plot” and accused McMullin of a “reckless disregard for the truth.” Lee won reelection in November and will start his third term in the chamber next month.","type":"text"},{"_id":"KFC3U6VGYZFTHH2VGEEMYBHC4Y","content":"Lee’s office did not answer questions about whether he disagreed with the report or how it squared with his explanation of his role after the 2020 elections.","type":"text"},{"_id":"R7RHUYD72BD6HBWWI5E5SNCUXA","content":"Lee worries about “slippery slope problem”","type":"header"},{"_id":"JVCR3BHRKJGK5AIWFX3J7JG3FE","content":"The newly released report also details previously unknown communications between Lee and senior Trump legal adviser Cleta Mitchell from texts she turned over to investigators. <a href=https://www.sltrib.com/"https://www.npr.org/2021/01/06/953823383/attorney-on-call-with-trump-and-georgia-officials-resigns-from-law-firm/">Mitchell was part of the infamous phone call</a> where <a href=https://www.sltrib.com/"https://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/03/us/politics/trump-raffensperger-call-georgia.html/">Trump pressured Georgia election officials</a> to “find” 11,780 votes to overturn his loss in that state.","type":"text"},{"_id":"MWYV6OREYRHHTLJH6DG2JOE65M","content":"In the week ahead of the Jan. 6 insurrection, Lee’s text messages to Mitchell show him taking a hard pivot away from the alternate elector plot, seemingly understanding it was doomed to fail because no state legislatures had signed off, calling the plan for members of Congress objecting to certifying the election a “dangerous idea.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"IWOXPH7MBJDCZJFXRU44CG4AFE","content":"“I don’t think we have any valid basis for objecting to the electors,” Lee wrote on Dec. 30. “It cannot be true that we can object to any state’s presidential electors simply because we don’t think they handled their election well or suspect illegal activity.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"TAQ5Q2ZEEZB3XAHF43YR6LAJV4","content":"In previously released text messages, Lee told Meadows that he’d been working “14 hours a day” to find a path he could “persuasively defend.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"2GIST22ZUBHPFBYK2I2PLF4I3M","content":"“I only know that this will end badly for the president unless we have the Constitution on our side,” Lee texted the chief of staff on Jan. 3.","type":"text"},{"_id":"LDCP73QGVVBJBNE5TNJPCXG7MY","content":"“We need something from state legislatures to make this legitimate and to have any hope of winning. Even if they can’t convene, it might be enough if a majority of them are willing to sign a statement indicating how they would vote,” Lee told Meadows the following day.","type":"text"},{"_id":"VKUWIMLFKFABDG5Z7QZGFMTCFI","content":"When it became clear to Lee that the Trump team planned to move forward with an effort to have members of Congress object to electoral results without sign-off by state lawmakers, the Utahn warned Mitchell that their plan could lead to unforeseen consequences.","type":"text"},{"_id":"D7EPREQYKRDPJFSYI5ILKRUZGY","content":"“Will you please explain to me how this doesn’t create a slippery slope problem for all future presidential elections,” Lee texted Mitchell.","type":"text"},{"_id":"ZNZHKQQFNBHSRDALQNVPXBKHOA","content":"Lee and Mitchell are longtime associates. Mitchell represented Lee’s campaign in <a href=https://www.sltrib.com/"https://www.fec.gov/resources/cms-content/documents/lra_1044_ogc_recommendation_memo_mike_lee.pdf/">a 2017 case in front of the Federal Election Commission</a>. She also signed a 2018 letter <a href=https://www.sltrib.com/"https://www.freedomworks.org/press/freedomworks-president-adam-brandon-signs-letter-conservative-leaders-supporting-senator//">supporting Lee as a potential United States Supreme Court nominee</a>.","type":"text"},{"_id":"TMMJX2B6W5HT7GSNGS3FV4IDRI","content":"Ultimately, Lee did not join several of his Senate Republican colleagues in voting to reject the electoral college results on Jan. 6 because the “rumors” that states were sending alternate electors were unfounded.","type":"text"},{"_id":"3ALG6YSFMRFMDNHIHWYQYWWB3Y","content":"“On that basis, I voted to certify the results of the election,” Lee said during his debate with McMullin. Lee has never publically explained what he would have done if those rumors turned out to be true.","type":"text"},{"_id":"TVMH2R5ITZAWPJRICJW5YFS4VE","content":"Rudy Giuliani called Lee’s phone after the Capitol riot was over on Jan. 6","type":"header"},{"_id":"COFBW4D24RCITMQKTSHKH5I53I","content":"The Salt Lake Tribune previously reported about<a href=https://www.sltrib.com/"https://www.sltrib.com/news/politics/2022/12/19/tribune-story-cited-jan-6-panels//" target=\"_blank\"> Donald Trump’s inadvertently calling Lee’s phone</a> looking for Alabama GOP Sen. Tommy Tuberville as the attack on the U.S. Capitol was underway, but that wasn’t the only interaction Lee had with Trump or his team that day.","type":"text"},{"_id":"PIZNULQNPFBGPK3BJXWAKO2MKY","content":"After Trump posted a video on Twitter telling the rioters to go home, lawyer Rudy Giuliani called several Republicans in Congress, including Lee. Giuliani’s phone records turned over to the committee also show calls to the phones of Sens. Marsha Blackburn, Bill Hagerty, Lindsey Graham, Ted Cruz and Rep. Jim Jordan.","type":"text"},{"_id":"RGZ4QMP5YBEXTIC3WF3CDWCNJ4","content":"The report does not detail whether Giuliani actually spoke to Lee during that phone call. Lee’s office did not respond to questions asking for clarification.","type":"text"},{"_id":"JJ2YXL54GBBBLASMQCHSDPVH3I","content":"At some point, Giuliani left a voicemail on Lee’s phone intended for Tuberville, urging him to object to the certification of the electoral votes to buy time for state legislators to either decertify their presidential electors or appoint new ones.","type":"text"},{"_id":"ZYJ2HBOKVZAZ3BJ4G7N77G2NCM","content":"“The only strategy we can follow is to object to numerous States and raise issues so that we can get ourselves into tomorrow — ideally until the end of tomorrow. So if you could object to every State and, along with a congressman, get a hearing for every state, I know we would delay you a lot, but it would give us the opportunity to get the legislators who are very, very close to pulling their vote,” Giuliani said in that voicemail.","type":"text"},{"_id":"XUQB7FMKZZD37LHAHI7CBJJVZ4","content":"Lee shared Giuliani’s errant message with then-national security advisor Robert O’Brien.","type":"text"},{"_id":"L7HTS77ATFHU3LHOJ6IICH7X3A","content":"“You can’t make this up. I just got this voice message [from] Rudy Giuliani, who apparently thought he was calling Senator Tuberville,” Lee texted O’Brien. “You’ve got to listen to that message. Rudy is walking malpractice.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"PYMQELIWOJAEVHYK74DV3YIKEU","content":"Lee’s other contacts about the 2020 election","type":"header"},{"_id":"DZOEKXGGXND6NJAYULZ4DBHS7M","content":"In a Nov. 9, 2020, text message to Meadows, Lee pushed for lawyer Sidney Powell to gain access to the president, describing her as a “straight shooter.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"PODLRQRHZ5BB5H36NHNI2QUH2Y","content":"“Apparently, she has a strategy to keep things alive and put several states back in play. Can you help her get in?” Lee texted.","type":"text"},{"_id":"EX2VA2I46FGE3HEKCDOKE7R2HI","content":"Later, Lee quickly backed away from Powell following a press conference where she pushed an outlandish conspiracy theory that a vast plot, including George Soros and deceased Venezuelan dictator Hugo Chavez, had rigged voting machines to steal the election from Trump.","type":"text"},{"_id":"3EWYLW3LQBCTPJPL6MD77H3UYE","content":"<a href=https://www.sltrib.com/"https://january6th.house.gov/sites/democrats.january6th.house.gov/files/20220507_Sidney Powell.pdf/" target=\"_blank\">The transcript of Powell’s interview with the House committee</a> suggests her post-election contacts with Lee were more extensive.","type":"text"},{"_id":"E5KSVW4CSVBHDEZUGMBB7OL4ME","content":"Powell says she remembered attending one meeting with several members of Congress at the invitation of Lee.","type":"text"},{"_id":"AXKY2YSZJJA4PEFM3JDREZXEYI","content":"“The one meeting I remember in connection with the election was at the request of Senator Lee who asked me to come meet with whoever wanted to show up to listen to what I was seeing at that point,” Powell told investigators.","type":"text"},{"_id":"6YMHPTS4FFHWRFYCKRXD7G73BM","content":"The transcript of Powell’s testimony suggests she spoke with Lee more than one time following the election. Investigators asked Powell: “If (Lee) said that he spoke to you several times regarding your claims or theories with respect to the election, would that jive with your memory?”","type":"text"},{"_id":"ZJUKKIJNPND7NKARUAAWW7GV2Q","content":"“I certainly wouldn’t dispute it,” Powell answered.","type":"text"},{"_id":"ZU42JZHUKRH3PHO6IDUQ4V6TS4","content":"The committee also asked Eastman about a National Review article where he said he was working with Lee on “broader things.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"IEQ6F2G3DBBMXPNFFPMQZWERKQ","content":"In his answer, Eastman invoked his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination, according to the committee’s transcript of that interview.","type":"text"},{"_id":"B3SBY6Y5XRA55CUL6XE6VECOOA","content":"They also asked Eastman if he had a conversation with Lee, to which he also invoked his Constitutional rights.","type":"text"},{"_id":"FL5G6OU5SNDFXKKCYIHFRJQ7DI","content":"Earlier this week, the <a href=https://www.sltrib.com/"https://www.sltrib.com/news/politics/2022/12/19/jan-6-committee-approved//" target=\"_blank\">Jan. 6 committee unanimously recommended criminal charges</a> against Eastman and Trump.","type":"text"},{"_id":"VGT37FX7PBEVNMAD7KUQCSFDW4","content":"<br/>","type":"text"}],"credits":{"by":[{"_id":"bschott","image":{"url":"https://s3.amazonaws.com/arc-authors/sltrib/6bb34475-143e-45e3-92c7-cf9ed4b9cac9.jpg"},"name":"Bryan Schott"}]},"display_date":"2022-12-23T21:23:26.446Z","headlines":{"basic":"Jan. 6 report sheds new details about Sen. Mike Lee’s efforts to help Trump overturn 2020 election"},"last_updated_date":"2022-12-24T02:11:18.422Z","promo_items":{"basic":{"caption":"(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) President Donald Trump is joined by Sen. Mike Lee at the Utah Capitol on Monday, Dec. 4, 2017. The final report for the House Jan. 6 committee gives new details into Lee's efforts to help Trump overturn his 2020 election loss.","url":"https://cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/sltrib/UAMZCAYZG5H2HGVV7ZBHEUN5ZM.jpg"}},"publish_date":"2022-12-24T02:11:17.972Z","subheadlines":{"basic":"The House Jan. 6 committee reported that Lee “spent a month encouraging the idea” of alternate state electors, before worrying about a “slippery slope problem” for future elections. "},"taxonomy":{"primary_section":{"_id":"/news/politics","name":"Politics","parent_id":"/news","path":"/news/politics"},"sites":[{"name":"Politics","path":"/news/politics"}],"tags":[{"description":"Politics","slug":"politics","text":"Politics"},{"description":"Stories about Washington, D.C. - politics","slug":"federal","text":"federal"},{"description":"Mike Lee","slug":"mike-lee","text":"Mike Lee"},{"description":"Eligible stories for other news organizations to pick up","slug":"collab","text":"collab"}]},"website_url":"/news/politics/2022/12/23/jan-6-report-sheds-new-details"}],"_id":"14aa02e9f8d7b0945050b812087e0678f7e0543a227bb35a9ed9ab1906c1f845"}" cloudflare="https://id.sltrib.com/">
