McDaniel is attempting to draw a bright line between those who physically rioted on Jan. 6th and those who inspired them to do so. But the notion that the phony electors bear no moral or political responsibility for the insurrection of Jan. 6th makes no logical sense: The fraudulent electoral ballots were a key part of the mechanism of the Trump coup attempt. The actions of the phony electors are entirely germane to the investigations of the Jan. 6th Committee. To overlook their role would be malpractice.

What these Republicans engaged in was no silly public relations stunt or rhetorical flourish; it was a highly orchestrated, elaborate scheme. The Trump campaign recruited Republicans to pose as fake electors. These individuals gathered on December 14, 2020–the day actual electors gathered to certify their states’ election results. They gave themselves fake titles, held fake meetings, and submitted fake documents to the government, all to give the impression they were legitimate. Arizona Republican Party Chair Kelli Ward even filmed her session as though it were an official event.

Notably, the infamous Eastman memo begins with the words “7 states have transmitted dual slates of electors to the President of the Senate.” If Trump had gotten his way, these phony electors would have provided the predicate for Vice President Mike Pence to throw out the 2020 election results.