Quick 🧵:

Sen. Mike Lee did a TV interview today in Utah and he was asked exactly one question about his texts with Mark Meadows.

One. Single. Question.

https://t.co/9qG2uhXHmb

"There were text messages between me and my friend Mark Meadows at the point I was looking into whether there was any truth to whether some states were planning to rescind or modify their electoral votes," Lee said.

That's...not what the texts show.

Lee was actively working to overturn the election results in the weeks leading up to Jan. 6.

The day after the election was called for Trump, Lee texted Meadows to encourage Trump's team to explore every legal remedy available.

That very same day, Lee started pushing Meadows to give lawyer Sidney Powell access to Trump.

As has been noted before, Powell claimed a vast conspiracy, which included deceased Venezuelan dictator Hugo Chavez, conspired to steal votes from Trump.

Lee still hasn't answered what it was about Powell's legal arguments he found so appealing.

Lee told Meadows Powell was a "straight shooter."

He told the Deseret News he did not know her before urging Meadows to give her access to Trump.

It remains a mystery.

On Dec. 8, Lee texts Meadows "If a small handful of states were to have their legislatures appoint alternative slates of delegates, there could be a path."

Maybe I'm not reading it correctly, but that does not sound like he's investigating rumors of alternate electors.

In today's interview, Lee said "I asked again, is this what's happening?"

The only text message even remotely close to that has Lee warning Meadows the plan could backfire unless the states submit alternate slates.

"I reminded him of the fact that there's really no role for Congress to play in the Electoral College and the presidential elections," Lee said today.

That's true.

But the texts show Lee was desperately trying to find those alternate slates.

"I've been calling state legislators for hours today, and am going to spend hours doing the same tomorrow. I'm trying to figure out a path that I can persuasively defend," Lee texted on Jan. 4.

Does that sound like someone who is trying to rundown rumors?

"We need something from state legislatures to make this legitimate and to have any hope of winning," Lee continued in the same text to Meadows.

Again, that sure does not sound like someone who is trying to slam the brakes on this whole scheme.

The only follow-up was about Lee not joining the objections on Jan. 6, which is the crux of his whole defense.

As I've said before, Lee was on board with the plot, but only bailed out at the end.

This is the second interview where Lee has been let off the hook and offered explanations that do not square with his text messages.

Now he can (and will) claim he’s already answered questions about these text messages by pointing at these two interviews.