‘The Big Lie was also the big-rip off’: Jan 6 committee hears Trump’s fraud claims
The House select committee investigating the assault on the US Capitol on 6 January 2021 held the second of its televised hearings yesterday, this one focused on the so-called “Big Lie” – the false conspiracy that the 2020 election was stolen via massive and organised electoral fraud.
Among other things, the panel heard that Mr Trump and his allies had raised some $250m from supporters which they said was meant to help fight legal battles to overturn Joe Biden’s victory, but which in fact went in large party to Mr Trump’s own “Save America” political action committee.
Mr Trump responded to the hearing with a 12-page statement to counter the evidence. Teasing the possibility of him returning for the 2024 presidential elections, he called the probe “an attempt to stop a man that is leading in every poll, against both Republicans and Democrats by wide margins, from running again for the presidency.
“The Democrats know that I would correct all of this, and they are doing everything in their power to stop me – but we can’t be stopped,” he continued. “We have to Save America.”
