Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R) texted then-White House chief of staff Mark Meadows on Jan. 6, 2021, urging him to tell President Trump to “calm people” as rioters were storming the Capitol, according to new text messages obtained by CNN.
Greene told Meadows that she thought there was an active shooter in the Capitol.
“Mark I was just told there is an active shooter on the first floor of the Capitol Please tell the President to calm people This isn’t the way to solve anything,” Greene texted Meadows, according to CNN.
In a separate message, Greene told Meadows that she did not believe the individuals storming the Capitol were “our people,” instead suggesting that they were members of antifa dressed as Trump supporters — a claim that was popular among GOP figures in the aftermath of the riot and has since been labeled false.
“Mark we don’t think these attackers are our people. We think they are Antifa. Dressed like Trump supporters,” Greene wrote.
The messages between Meadows and Greene are among the more than 2,000 texts CNN obtained that were sent or received by Meadows between Election Day 2020 and President Biden’s inauguration.
The texts show how GOP lawmakers contacted the then-chief of staff regarding efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election and shed light on how members of Congress and Trump aides were reacting to the riot in real time.
The messages obtained by CNN were provided by Meadows to the House select committee investigating the attack on the Capitol.
On Jan. 7, 2021, Greene texted Meadows that the prior day was “terrible.” She said she did not think Trump played a role in inciting the attack, again suggesting that antifa was in the crowd.
“I don’t think that President Trump caused the attack on the Capitol. It’s not his fault. Antifa was mixed in the crowed and instigated it, and sadly people followed. But when people try everything and no one listens and nothing works, I guess they think they have no other choice,” Greene wrote.
She also said, “I fully denounce all of it” but suggested that rioters stormed the building out of frustration over coronavirus-driven shutdowns and “a stolen election.”
“Absolutely no excuse and I fully denounce all of it, but after shut downs all year and a stolen election, people are saying that they have no other choice,” she said.
The congresswoman apologized to Meadows that efforts to reject the results of the 2020 presidential election in a handful of states failed, telling him, “We tried everything we could in our objection to the 6 states.”
“I’m sorry nothing worked,” she added.
Greene said Trump “has been the greatest president,” adding, “I will continue to defend him.”
“And you if anyone attacks you. I hope you are ok. I feel badly for everyone,” she told Meadows.
The trove of texts published by CNN also includes a message Greene sent to Meadows on Dec. 31, 2020, that said, “We have to get organized for the 6th.” She said the effort had “a lot of members on board.”
She also asked to speak with Rudy Giuliani.
“Good morning Mark, I’m here in DC. We have to get organized for the 6th. I would like to meet with Rudy Giuliani again. We didn’t get to speak with him long. Also anyone who can help. We are getting a lot of members on board. And we need to lay out the best case for each state,” Greene wrote.
And on Jan. 17, 2021, three days before Biden’s inauguration, Greene told Meadows that lawmakers suggested that Trump’s final chance to “save our Republic” was to call for martial law, which she wrote as “Marshall law.”
Imposing martial law would have put the military in control of a number of government functions. During a hearing last week regarding a challenge to her being on the ballot in Georgia, Greene said she did not remember if she urged Trump to invoke martial law as a way to hold his power.
“In our private chat with only Members, several are saying the only way to save our Republic is for Trump to call for Marshall law. I don’t know on those things. I just wanted you to tell him. They stole this election. We all know. They will destroy our country next. Please tell him to declassify as much as possible so we can go after Biden and anyone else!” Greene wrote.
That hearing will determine if the congresswoman is eligible to serve in public office, after a group of voters in the Peach State challenged her candidacy, contending that her alleged role in the Jan. 6 riot prohibits her from running for or serving in Congress.
The Hill has reached out to Meadows and Greene for comment.