A lawyer for Ginni Thomas, wife of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, wrote to the House Jan. 6 select committee saying he did "not understand the need to speak" with his client.
The panel — composed of seven Democrats and two anti-Trump Republicans — sent a letter to Ginni Thomas on June 16 asking her to speak before the committee, CNN reported.
Attorney Mark R. Paoletta on Tuesday sent an eight-page response to the committee to say that while Ginni Thomas was willing to speak, he did "not understand the need to speak with Mrs. Thomas," Daily Caller reported.
"Before I can recommend that she meet with you, I am asking the Committee to provide a better justification for why Mrs. Thomas's testimony is relevant to the Committee's legislative purpose," Paoletta wrote.
The panel's letter to Thomas highlighted John Eastman, a conservative attorney involved in former President Donald Trump's push to investigate the 2020 election results. The committee wrote that it had "recently obtained additional information regarding" his activities.
"In your June 16, 2022, letter, you base the interview request on a supposed connection between Mrs. Thomas and John Eastman: 'The Select Committee has obtained evidence that you had certain communications with John Eastman during this time period. We believe you may have information concerning John Eastman's plans and activities relevant to our investigation.' But the Committee has not identified this alleged 'evidence.'"
Paoletta added that the emails Eastman produced to the committee "provide no basis to interview" Ginni Thomas.
"Press reports have insinuated that Mrs. Thomas and Mr. Eastman were engaged in a plan to overturn the presidential election results," Paoletta wrote. "Indeed, leaks from this Committee have led reporters to write that recently produced 'emails' from Mr. Eastman 'show that Thomas's efforts to overturn the election were more extensive than previously known.' But, as you are aware, Mr. Eastman's emails show no such thing."
Paoletta also wrote that Ginni Thomas' text messages to former chief of staff Mark Meadows were "her personal views" and sent in her "personal capacity as a private citizen."
"Accordingly, I do not see how these texts could be remotely relevant to the Committee's legislative purpose. Thus, please provide additional information so we may understand the basis of your request to speak with Mrs. Thomas," Paoletta wrote.
The lawyer wrote that a "form email" Ginni Thomas sent to state legislators "has … been blown out of proportion in the press" and was not reason enough for the committee to speak with her.
Paoletta also slammed the Jan. 6 committee's "intentions," criticizing how the group of lawmakers "has otherwise commented about her and other witnesses, or about her husband."
"There is no story to uncover here," Paoletta wrote the panel. "As she has already acknowledged, Mrs. Thomas attended the rally on January 6, but left well before the President began to speak, and well before any individuals began marching to the Capitol. She held no official or unofficial role in the White House, nor in President Trump's reelection campaign."
Ginni Thomas previously told the Daily Caller that she "can't wait to clear up misconceptions" if called on to provide testimony before the Jan. 6 select committee.
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