Nightmare Scenario: Republicans Flip On Trump
Rusty Bowers, the former Arizona House Speaker, has confirmed his participation in the federal investigation concerning the efforts to overturn the 2020 election results, joining other Republicans who have been interviewed.
According to Newsweek, Bowers had previously testified before the January 6 House Select Committee, where he revealed that Donald Trump and Rudy Giuliani contacted him to discuss a plan involving the appointment of fraudulent electoral officials. Their objective was to falsely declare Trump’s victory over Joe Biden in multiple states. Bowers disclosed to CNN that he has now been interviewed by the FBI as part of the ongoing investigation.
When questioned about potential subpoenas from special counsel Jack Smith’s office, Bowers stated, “I am hesitant to talk about any subpoenas, etc. But I have been interviewed by the FBI.” He further mentioned that this interview took place a few months ago. Bowers clarified that he didn’t provide any new information during the conversation with investigators, as they were already well-informed about his previous testimony before the January 6th committee. He couldn’t recall any significant details that hadn’t been mentioned before.
Bowers, who faced censure from Arizona’s Republican Party due to his testimony on January 6, is believed to be the highest-ranking Republican official to have engaged with federal investigators in Smith’s probe. Their focus is on his conversations with Trump and his inner circle following the 2020 election.
According to Christine Adams, a former federal prosecutor and current partner at Adams, Duerk & Kamenstein, Bowers’ cooperation with the FBI indicates a thorough and meticulous investigation by federal prosecutors. This investigation spans multiple states and encompasses individuals from various political affiliations, contradicting claims that it is merely a partisan endeavor. Adams explained that investigators are specifically examining potentially incriminating actions by Trump and his attorneys in pressuring GOP members to obstruct the election outcome.
In a news release in December 2020, Bowers publicly disclosed the astonishing request made by Trump and his team to overturn the election results, a request he vehemently opposed. As a conservative Republican who had voted for Trump and worked hard to support his re-election, Bowers stated that he could not endorse violating the existing laws to alter the outcome of a certified election.
During his testimony before the January 6 committee in June 2022, Bowers reiterated that Trump and Giuliani had contacted him to discuss the fraudulent electoral scheme. Giuliani claimed to possess evidence of undocumented immigrants and deceased individuals voting in the 2020 election, but he failed to provide any substantiation for his claims regarding the swing state’s presidential electors.
Recently, Giuliani voluntarily responded to questions from federal prosecutors regarding an alleged plot to fabricate a group of electors who would falsely declare Trump’s victory in several key swing states that he had actually lost in the 2020 election.
