Could Wisconsin play a role in the Jan. 6 hearings?

 

MADISON, Wis. (CBS 58) -- Could Wisconsin play a role in the Jan. 6 hearings?

Some political experts predict the battleground state could be mentioned during the series of hearings that will take place over the next several weeks in regard to Republicans submitting fake electoral votes for Donald Trump in 2020.

The House Select Committee investigating the Jan. 6 attack issued subpoenas to former Republican Party of Wisconsin chairman Andrew Hitt and Kelly Ruh, chairwoman of the 8th Congressional District GOP, in February to uncover information about how they met and who was behind the scheme.

Wisconsin was one of seven states who submitted paperwork falsely claiming Trump won. Republican electors gathered at the state Capitol on Dec. 14, 2020, where they signed official-looking documents stating Trump had won, even though Joe Biden was declared the victor.

"I do think the phony electors element of this story will be a relevant aspect of the broader narrative of Jan. 6," said Anthony Chergosky, assistant professor political science at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse. "Because, in terms of laying the groundwork for people believing the election was stolen, you had key decisions like that being."

Republican electors have long argued they were not trying to overturn the election but instead say they wanted to keep all their legal options open at the time.

Rep. Mark Pocan (D-WI 2nd) said he thinks GOP electors in all seven states who submitted paperwork were involved in a secretive plot and is hoping to find out to what extent.

"Clearly there was a pattern here of something being orchestrated and if that is a part of this, those are the types of connections I think people are looking to find out," said Pocan.

The state Elections Commission did conclude Republican electors did not break any election laws, but the issue is now the center of a legal battle.

Last month, two Democratic electors and a voter sued GOP electors arguing they misused public resources when meeting at the state Capitol to cast their votes in 2020. The lawsuit seeks up to $2.4 million in damages and is asking to never allow those Republicans to serve as electors again.