Hiring An Election Denier with Ties to Project 2025 as Staff

Just as Project 2025 relied on some of the most prominent election deniers in the country like Stephen Miller, Hans Von Spakovsky, and Cleta Mitchell, Republicans on the House Administration Committee have also rewarded, rather than condemned, those who pushed the misinformation and schemes to overturn the 2020 election, which eventually led to the deadly insurrection at the U.S. Capitol on January 6. One example is Thomas Lane.

Thomas Lane: Less than a year after former Trump campaign staffer Lane was subpoenaed by both the Department of Justice and FBI as part of their investigations into the plot to overturn the 2020 election, Republicans on the House Administration Committee hired him as their elections counsel. 

Lane appeared to have attended a meeting where 11 Arizona Republicans falsely declared themselves presidential electors, and passed out papers to them to sign “certifying themselves Arizona’s ‘duly elected and qualified electors.’” Those 11 false electors, and others, have since been indicted in the scheme. 

Years after the January 6 insurrection, Lane has continued to fan conspiracy theories about the election, saying in 2023, “I don’t think there’s any doubt that last year was stolen.”

Since Lane’s hiring, Republicans on the House Administration Committee have brought in several witnesses with ties to Project 2025 who have pushed false claims of voter fraud and called for strict voting restrictions, including those who previously worked closely with Lane. Project 2025 partner Cleta Mitchell – who has previously collaborated with Lane and lauded him as an “outstanding leader” – has even spoken openly about having a working relationship with Republicans on the House Administration Committee since Lane’s hiring.