Steve Helber, File/Associated Press
- Arizona state Rep. Mark Finchem was subpoenaed by the January 6 committee.
- Finchem pushed false claims about the election and met with Rudy Giuliani in November 2020.
- Finchem has started a “legal defense fund” to resist the committee’s requests.
A candidate for Arizona secretary of state is trying to raise $750,000 to go towards a legal defense fund to fight a subpoena issued by the House committee investigating the Capitol riot.
Arizona state Rep. Mark Finchem took to Twitter Saturday to ask for donations, saying he needs an immediate $5,000.
“Dear patriots – I am being subpoenaed by the Kangaroo Court in DC. In order to hire a lawyer to protect me from Liz Cheney and Pelosi, I need an immediate $5k to put him on retainer. Please help me reach my goal by donating here. I appreciate you all,” Finchem said in the tweet.
He also shared the link to a donation page titled “Rep Mark Finchem Legal Defense Fund” on the Christian crowdfunding site GiveSendGo. The page said Finchem has “stood as a champion” for Americans with concerns about the 2020 election and that he is now facing an “unjust subpoena” from the January 6 committee.
“As a state representative, earning $24,000/year gross, he does not have the resources to defend himself against the abuse of power that the Congress is now engaged in. He needs your help,” the page said.
Though Finchem asked for $5,000 in his tweet, the funding goal on the page was set at $750,000. As of Sunday evening, more than $3,700 had been raised.
Finchem, who represents Arizona’s District 11, has maintained that the 2020 election was stolen from former President Donald Trump and continues to advocate for de-certifying the results in Arizona, a state won by President Joe Biden.
Trump endorsed Finchem for Arizona secretary of state in September, praising his “incredibly powerful stance on the Voter Fraud that took place in the 2020 Presidential Election Scam,” AZ Central reported.
Trump and his allies have not provided any proof of voter or election fraud and legal challenges in Arizona and other states were all dismissed.
If elected secretary of state in November, Finchem would become Arizona’s chief election officer.
The January 6 committee subpoenaed Finchem on Tuesday along with Kelli Ward, chair of the Arizona GOP, for documents and testimony related to efforts to overturn the election.
In November 2020, Finchem participated in an election fraud meeting in Phoenix that was attended by Trump lawyers Rudy Giuliani and Jenna Ellis and other GOP lawmakers in the state. After that meeting, Giuliani suggested to state lawmakers, without success, that they dismiss the election results and simply appoint Republican electors, AZ Central reported.
Finchem’s campaign did not immediately respond to Insider’s request for comment.
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