Newly Released Testimony From January 6th Hearing Regarding Wisconsin Republicans

Thursday, January 5th, 2023 -- 12:00 PM

(By Rich Kremer, Wisconsin Public Radio) In newly released testimony, former Republican Party of Wisconsin Chair Andrew Hitt told the congressional committee investigating the Jan. 6, 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol that Sen. Ron Johnson suggested the GOP-led state Legislature should choose presidential electors rather than voters. 

According to Rich Kremer with Wisconsin Public Radio, the testimony was part of new documents, including screenshots of text messages to and from Hitt, released by the committee Monday.

Hitt said the call from Johnson came Dec. 7, 2020 as former President Donald Trump and allies worked to overturn his loss a month before.  Hitt said he held a conference call with county GOP chairs and forcefully pushed back against false claims of illegal vote dumps in Milwaukee on election night. 

"Ron (Johnson) called me afterwards," Hitt said. "I think he was a little surprised about...kind how forceful I was and said, 'You know, we need to, we need to have our Legislature choose the electors.'"

Hitt then texted state Republican Party of Wisconsin Executive Director Mark Jefferson about the call. "Ron called me right after and is now arguing for us to have the legislature choose electors," said the text to Jefferson. "OMG."  Jefferson replied by asking "What is he doing?"

Hitt replied, "There is a huge amount of pressure building on them to find a way around the electoral college." "How can he feel good about promoting that though?" replied Jefferson. "Does he believe we won here?"

Hitt told the committee he didn't support the idea and told Johnson that nonpartisan attorneys with the Legislature said the body didn't have power to unilaterally choose presidential electors.

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