Meadows sends Justice Department a draft Supreme Court election lawsuit
White House staff sought to have the department file a case challenging state election administration; Justice officials rejected the proposal.
Entities and roles
- Donald J. TrumpDonald Trump network root
- Mark MeadowsTrump White House chief of staff
Relationships in this file
- Donald J. TrumpWhite House chief of staffMark Meadows
Claims and evidence
- factdocumented
Meadows transmitted to acting Attorney General Jeffrey Rosen a draft lawsuit that would have put the Justice Department behind an effort to invalidate certified election results. Rosen and acting deputy Richard Donoghue rejected it as unsupported and outside the department's role. The failed request is institutionally significant because it sought the credibility and coercive authority of federal law enforcement for Trump's private electoral objective.
- United States Government Publishing Office: Final Report of the Select Committee to Investigate the January 6th Attack on the United States CapitolChapter 4, pages 394–399: draft Supreme Court complaint, Meadows transmission, and Justice Department rejection