Today’s January 6th Committee Hearing – Statement of Common Cause Pennsylvania

Today’s Select Committee hearing focused on the pressure that former President Trump and his campaign exerted on the nation’s top law enforcement agency – the Department of Justice – as part of efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 election in order to stay in power.

Congressman Scott Perry (PA-10) pushed for Jeffrey Clark to become acting Attorney General and use the DOJ’s powers to pressure state lawmakers in Georgia to contest the state’s election outcome. The plan was dropped when several DOJ leaders threatened to resign.

Select Committee Vice Chair Liz Cheney previously stated that Rep. Perry “contacted the White House in the weeks after January 6th to seek a Presidential Pardon.”

Last year, the Senate Judiciary Committee released an interim report detailing former president Donald Trump’s efforts to remain in office after his 2020 election loss. The report recommended that Rep. Perry be investigated for his ties to the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol.

Statement of Common Cause Pennsylvania Executive Director Khalif Ali

Rep. Scott Perry clearly does not respect our government of ‘We the People.’ Instead of upholding the Constitution, as he swore to do in his Oath of Office, he tried to subvert the very democracy we elected him to serve and protect. 

The January 6 Committee today brought to light new evidence about Representative Scott Perry’s involvement in the scheme to manipulate the Department of Justice into overturning the results of the 2020 Presidential Election.  

While some of this evidence is new, Rep. Perry’s ongoing disrespect for his constituents and the US and Pennsylvania Constitutions are not. 

Rep. Perry held a position of trust as our elected congressional Representative. He attempted to use that position to undermine the will of the people of his own state – and the will of Georgia voters, as well. He stoked conspiracy theories, voted against accepting Pennsylvania’s electoral votes following an unprecedented insurrection on the Nation’s Capitol, and now has been shown to be directly involved in the attempt to weaponize the Department of Justice to keep President Trump in power.

There must be consequences for those who have attacked our government from within. It is clear from the evidence made public by the January 6 Committee that Rep. Perry does not respect the will of the voters. No elected official should remain in office, if they do not respect the voters who put them there. We must not continue down this path.