WASHINGTON, D.C., USA — On Friday, CNN released a report containing text messages after the 2020 election between then-White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows, Texas Rep. Chip Roy and Sen. Mike Lee of Utah.
The texts, which took place after the election and through early January 2021, show how the politicians lobbied and encouraged the White House in its efforts to overturn the election.
In the exchange, the Texas representative warned Meadows that then-President Donald Trump's efforts were inciting his base and undermining the U.S. electoral system.
"We must urge the President to tone down the rhetoric, and approach the legal challenge firmly, intelligently and effectively without resorting to throwing wild desperate haymakers or whipping his base into a conspiracy frenzy," Roy texted Meadows on Nov. 9, two days after major networks called the election in Joe Biden's favor.
Just two days before that exchange, Roy texted Meadows that "we need ammo. We need fraud examples. We need it this weekend."
However, as the texts continue and after the Trump campaign lost multiple lawsuits over unproven claims of election fraud, both Roy and Lee express skepticism in the effort.
“Hey brother – we need substance or people are going to break,” Roy wrote on Nov. 19.
“The potential defamation liability for the president is significant here,” Lee wrote to Meadows. “For the campaign and for the president personally. Unless Powell can back up everything she said, which I kind of doubt she can.”
“The president should call everyone off. It’s the only path,” Roy wrote on Dec. 31. “If we substitute the will of states through electors with a vote by congress every 4 years … we have destroyed the electoral college … Respectfully.”
The texts were originally obtained by the House Jan. 6 committee.
To view the full exchange, view the full CNN report here.
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