‘Stop the Steal’ organizer testified to House panel about contact with GOP reps in lead-up to Jan. 6

An organizer behind the “Stop the Steal” rally testified to the Jan. 6 House select committee about communications he had with Republican representatives leading up to the rally on Jan. 6. 

Ali Alexander’s lawyers revealed in a Friday court filing that Alexander told lawmakers he had communications with Republican Reps. Andy Biggs (Ariz.), Mo Brooks (Ala.) and Paul Gosar (Ariz.).

At a Dec. 9 deposition, according to the filing, Alexander told the select committee he never spoke on the phone to Brooks or Biggs but did have “a few phone conversations” with Gosar. 

Alexander also allegedly “exchanged a text message” with Brooks that his lawyers said he provided to the select committee.

In a statement on Saturday, Brooks shared what he said was the Dec. 10 text message Alexander allegedly sent him, highlighting that he did not recognize the number that sent it.

“Congressman, this is Ali Alexander. I am the founder of Stop the Steal, the protests happening in all 50 states. We met years ago back in 2010, during the tea party when you were first elected. I texted the wrong number. I had intended to invite you to our giant Saturday prayer rally in DC, this past weekend,” the text message read. 

“Also, Gen. [Michael] Flynn should be giving you a ring. We stand ready to help. Jan. 6 is a big moment for our republic,” the message added.

The statement said Brooks had no knowledge of the text message’s sender and that, if it was Alexander, Brooks has not talked to him in a decade. Brooks also said the call with Flynn, a former national security advisor in the Trump administration, never happened. 

“NOTHING in the text references the Save America Rally” or the attack on the Capitol, the statement read. 

Brooks said the part of the message referencing Jan. 6 being a big day for the republic is “a truism because January 6 is the day established by federal law to resolve all presidential election contests.” 

Alexander also testified that he spoke to Brooks’s staff in phone calls about how his activists could help the representative and about a “Dear Colleague” letter, according to the filing.

Alexander said he never exchanged a phone call with Biggs but did meet him in person, per the filing. 

“In January, Mr. Alexander held an organizing call where Members of Congress might have been present, and some were invited. He doesn’t recall who was in attendance because there was no roll call of attendees because the call was so large,” the filing reads. 

Gosar has appeared at events with Alexander, but his chief of staff previously told The New York Times that the representative was not involved in planning the “Stop the Steal” rally. Brooks and Biggs have both denied involvement with Alexander.

In October, though denying reports that he helped plan the rally, Brooks said he would “be proud” if his staff had been involved in the planning.

The court filing, a lawsuit Alexander filed to prevent his phone records from being turned over to the select committee, was first reported by Politico.

It also says Alexander testified that Kimberly Guilfoyle, the girlfriend of Donald Trump Jr., spoke with Alexander the morning of Jan. 6 in a call about the “Stop the Steal” movement and the Georgia election.

The filing said the committee “seemed satisfied with Alexander’s explanation of that short call.”

Alexander has denied any involvement in the riot that took place at the Capitol after the rally occurred on Jan. 6.

After his eight-hour deposition before the select committee on Dec. 9, he was served with a civil lawsuit.

The Hill has reached out to Biggs and Gosar for comment.

— Updated at 8:29 p.m.