Jan. 6 committee: Ginni Thomas was cooperative during interview [Video]

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW:

• Conservative activist Ginni Thomas answered all questions during her interview with the Jan. 6 committee.
• Thomas came to the committee’s attention after obtained correspondence showed her communicating with Trump advisors about strategies to overturn the 2020 election results.
• According to panel members, Thomas affirmed her belief that the 2020 election was stolen.

The committee investigating the Jan. 6 Capitol riot said that conservative activist Ginni Thomas was cooperative during Thursday’s closed-door interview.

The panel chair, Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.), attended the interview for over an hour. He said that while he was present, Thomas did not decline to answer any questions.

Thomas, the wife of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, allegedly communicated with state lawmakers and advisors of former President Donald Trump about strategies to overturn the 2020 election results.

According to Thompson, Thomas maintained her belief that the 2020 election was stolen. She said that a lot of people involved in the events surrounding Jan. 6 believed that “something went wrong.”

Mark Paoletta, Thomas’ attorney, told Axios that his client “was happy to cooperate with the Committee to clear up the misconceptions about her activities surrounding the 2020 elections.”

Paoletta reiterated Thomas’ testimony that “her minimal and mainstream activity focused on ensuring that reports of fraud and irregularities were investigated. Beyond that, she played no role in any events after the 2020 election results.”

Thomas drew the committee’s attention after several correspondences they obtained. She had emailed attorney John Eastman, who was among those who pressured former Vice President Mike Pence to block the certification of electors on Jan. 6. In text messages between her and former White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows, she reportedly pushed the White House to do more to overturn the election.

Thompson has yet to say whether Thomas talked about the said correspondence or mentioned her husband.

The committee has yet to decide whether to include footage of Thomas’ testimony during the next public hearing. It was originally scheduled for Wednesday but was moved due to Hurricane Ian.

Thompson said, “She was one of those people we wanted to talk to … so we’ll discuss it as a committee as to how useful the information we received is and whether or not it can be put into the format of a hearing.”

Panel members suggested that the hearing may be rescheduled in October.

Source: Axios