- Rep. Ralph Norman called for Donald Trump to install "Marshall Law" after his 2020 defeat, report says.
- The text was among those shared between GOP lawmakers and Mark Meadows, according to the report.
Republican Rep. Ralph Norman of South Carolina texted then-White House chief of staff Mark Meadows and urged him to persuade then-President Donald Trump to invoke "Marshall law" to retain power after his 2020 election defeat.
The text, part of a batch handed over to the House committee investigating the January 6 Capitol riot and obtained by Talking Points Memo, was likely referring to "martial law," the imposing of rule by military force.
In other messages, Meadows and 34 GOP lawmakers cited discredited legal conspiracy theories in arguing for the overturning of Trump's election defeat to Joe Biden, the outlet said.
The text from Norman was reportedly sent on January 17, 2021, three days before Biden took office.
In it, he cited conspiracy theories that election machine company Dominion was being used to fix the election for Biden.
No evidence exists to substantiate the claims about Dominion, which has launched multi-billion dollar lawsuits against several Trump allies and Fox News for promoting the claim.
"Mark, in seeing what's happening so quickly, and reading about the Dominion law suits attempting to stop any meaningful investigation we are at a point of � no return � in saving our Republic !! Our LAST HOPE is invoking Marshall Law!! PLEASE URGE TO PRESIDENT TO DO SO!!" Norman wrote.
Norman, in a statement to Insider, said the message had been sent as a result of frustration, and cited unfounded claims about the integrity of the 2020 election.
"Obviously, Martial Law was never warranted. That text message came from a source of frustration, on the heels of countless unanswered questions about the integrity of the 2020 election, without any way to slow down and examine those issues prior to the inauguration of the newly elected president," he said.
CNN has previously reported that Meadows was kept informed about proposals by Trump allies to seize voting machines in key states in order to overturn Biden's win, but this is the first time the extent of his communications with members of Congress over efforts to overturn the election have been revealed.
Among those identified in the report as having communicated with Meadows about overturning the election loss are Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas, Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio, and Rep. Mo Brooks of Alabama.
Also among those urging Trump to declare martial law, and misspelling the term, was Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, the report said.
"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," Greene wrote on the same day as Norman's text, the report said.
On Saturday, Greene denied any involvement in the events of January 6, but said that if she had been involved in the planning of it protesters "would've been armed" and it would have succeeded.
Meadows' actions on January 6, and in the lead up to and wake of the riot, have been among the main subjects of scrutiny by the January 6 committee.