The select panel investigating the Jan. 6 insurrection has issued a subpoena for the phone records of Mike Lindell, the CEO of MyPillow and a top Trump ally, according to a federal court filing Wednesday.
Lindell filed a lawsuit Wednesday against the committee, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Verizon in an attempt to block Verizon from turning over his phone records. The panel had sought records from Nov. 1, 2020, through Jan. 31, 2021.
Lindell’s attorneys characterize his activities related to the 2020 election, in which he has repeatedly promoted unfounded claims of election fraud in support of former President Donald Trump, as “motivated, in part, by his strongly held religious beliefs.” Enforcing the subpoena would violate Lindell’s rights to “freedom of religion, speech, press, political expression, and to associate with others to advance their shared beliefs,” his attorneys wrote.
According to the suit, Lindell “has no involvement whatsoever” in the Jan. 6 attack. Lindell had been a vigorous defender of Trump during the 2020 election and in its aftermath, and he was seen at the White House even after the Jan. 6 attack with a paper with the words “insurrection act” and “martial law if necessary” on it.
The suit was assigned to Judge Eric Tostrud, a Trump appointee.
The committee had previously sought communications related to Lindell. Their request for executive branch communications included “all documents and communications relating to challenging the validity of the 2020 election, to, from, or mentioning Mike Lindell” from April 1, 2020, through Jan. 20, 2021.
A spokesperson for the select panel declined to comment. Spokespeople for Verizon and Pelosi did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Wednesday’s suit is the latest in a mounting series against the committee. Pro-Trump commentator Sebastian Gorka filed suit against the committee on Tuesday in an effort to block its subpoena for his phone records, accusing it of overstepping its authority. Former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn, former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows, attorney John Eastman, and other witnesses targeted by the committee have also sued the panel.
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