1/6 chairman: Ginni Thomas reiterates false election claims

WASHINGTON (AP) — Virginia “Ginni” Thomas, the wife of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, stood by the false claim that the 2020 election was fraudulent during an interview Thursday with the House committee investigating the Jan. 6 insurrection, the panel's chairman said.

“It’s a work in progress,” Rep. Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., told reporters after the more than four-hour interview ended. “At this point, we’re glad she came.”

The committee — comprised of seven Democrats and two Republicans — has for months sought an interview with Thomas in an effort to know more about her role in trying to help former President Donald Trump overturn his election defeat. The conservative activist texted with White House chief of staff Mark Meadows and contacted lawmakers in Arizona and Wisconsin in the weeks after the election.

Thomas answered some of the questions from congressional investigators Thursday as she sought to portray herself as among the many Americans who still believe the baseless claim that the 2020 election was stolen, according to a person familiar with the investigation who was not authorized to discuss it publicly.

But she did not provide any evidence or specific reasoning to back up her belief, the person said.

“As she has said from the outset, Mrs. Thomas had significant concerns about fraud and irregularities in the 2020 election,” Mark Paoletta, her attorney, said in a statement. “And, as she told the Committee, her minimal and mainstream activity focused on ensuring that reports of fraud and irregularities were investigated.”

"Beyond that, she played no role in any events after the 2020 election results," he added.

The testimony from Thomas was one of the last remaining for the panel as it eyes the completion of its work. The panel has already...