As the 2022 midterm elections approach, at least 57 individuals who played a role in the January 6, 2021 events are running for election and reelection to public office, from the state to the federal level. The same individuals who attempted to undermine democracy and attack the integrity of the 2020 election continue to hold and are seeking elected positions to represent Americans, and the public deserves to know the full extent of their involvement in the insurrection. 

CREW has requested records and communications of three state elected officials who attended or participated in the events of January 6: Maryland State Representative Dan Cox, who arranged transportation to a January 6 pro-Trump “Stop the Steal” rally; Virginia State Representative David LaRock, who attended the Stop the Steal rally and was indicted for seditious conspiracy; and former Arizona State Representative Anthony Kern, who spoke at the Stop the Steal rally and then was photographed on the steps of the Capitol during the riot. Cox is currently running for Governor of Maryland, while Kern is running for AZ State Senate. CREW specifically requests all communications containing words and phrases relating to the January 6 rally, including “Stop the Steal” and “Save America Rally,” as well as communications with other attendees.

In addition to filing these records requests, CREW has called on the Department of Justice to enforce the 14th Amendment’s Disqualification Clause in prosecutions related to the insurrection. The Disqualification Clause bars anyone who has previously taken an oath to support the Constitution as a state or federal official and then played a role in insurrection from holding state or federal office. 

The release of these records is vital to understanding the role these elected officials played in the January 6 insurrection, and their full involvement in Donald Trump’s efforts to overturn the 2020 election. As these individuals continue their campaigns for public office, it is critical that the public is aware of the full extent of their attempts to undermine democracy, and that they are held accountable for these actions. 

State public records requests

Photo by Tyler Merbler under a Common Commons license.

Read More in FOIA Requests