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Former Kansas attorney general Phill Kline subpoenaed by Jan. 6 committee

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Former Kansas attorney general Phill Kline.

According to the subpoena, Kline convened a meeting between then-President Donald Trump and 300 state lawmakers in an attempt to “disseminate purported evidence of election fraud” and ultimately overturn the 2020 election.

WICHITA — A U.S. House select committee investigating the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol has subpoenaed Phill Kline, a former Kansas attorney general.

According to the subpoena, Kline convened a meeting between then-President Donald Trump and 300 state lawmakers in an attempt to “disseminate purported evidence of election fraud” and ultimately overturn the 2020 election.

The subpoena says Kline encouraged the legislators to sign a letter urging former Vice President Mike Pence to delay the electoral certification on Jan. 6, 2021.

Kline, a Republican who served as Kansas attorney general from 2003 to 2007, was one of six people subpoenaed by the committee on Tuesday. The subpoenas seek documents and testimony from attorneys who worked on behalf of Trump.

Kline has until March 15 to produce documents and was ordered to appear for a deposition on March 25.

Kline founded a group called The Amistad Project, which bills itself as “the nation’s leading election integrity watchdog.” Recent news reports reveal that the group was active in promoting fake slates of pro-Trump electors in 2020.

The new subpoenas reflect the Jan. 6 committee’s focus on Trump’s efforts to stop President Joe Biden’s certification, including plans to send slates of electors to return Trump to office.

“The select committee is seeking information about attempts to disrupt or delay the certification of electoral votes and any efforts to corruptly change the outcome of the 2020 election,” Rep. Bennie Thompson, a Mississippi Democrat and chairman of the panel, said in a statement.

“The six individuals we’ve subpoenaed today all have knowledge related to those matters and will help the select committee better understand all the various strategies employed to potentially affect the outcome of the election,” Thompson said.

Suzanne Perez reports for KMUW in Wichita and the Kansas News Service. You can follow her on Twitter @SuzPerezICT.

The Kansas News Service is a collaboration of KCUR, Kansas Public Radio, KMUW and High Plains Public Radio focused on health, the social determinants of health and their connection to public policy.

Kansas News Service stories and photos may be republished by news media at no cost with proper attribution and a link to ksnewsservice.org.

Copyright 2022 KMUW | NPR for Wichita. To see more, visit KMUW | NPR for Wichita.

Suzanne Perez is a longtime journalist covering education and general news for KMUW and the Kansas News Service. Before coming to KMUW, she worked at The Wichita Eagle, where she covered schools and a variety of other topics.
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