decision 2022

Mastriano's Attorney Concerned Jan. 6 Committee Could Affect Pa. Governor's Race

An attorney for Doug Mastriano, the Republican nominee for governor in the November general election, said the candidate has "nothing to hide." But he is concerned that an interview Mastriano gave to the Jan. 6 Select Committee could use excerpts that might affect the election.

Pennsylvania state Sen. Doug Mastriano, R-Franklin, speaks to supporters of President Donald Trump as they demonstrate outside the Pennsylvania State Capitol, Saturday, Nov. 7, 2020, in Harrisburg, Pa.
AP Photo/Julio Cortez

An attorney for Pennsylvania’s Republican nominee for governor is raising concerns with the January 6 Select Committee about how excerpts of a scheduled interview between Doug Mastriano and the committee could be used and whether they could affect the November general election. 

In a letter to the committee sent on Friday, attorney Tim Parlatore said Mastriano is “engaged in a hotly contested general election race” and “has legitimate concerns that your committee may attempt to influence the outcome of the Pennsylvania state elections through the dissemination of disinformation.” 

Mastriano faces Democrat Josh Shapiro, the Pennsylvania Attorney General, on Nov. 8.

Parlatore raised concerns about the committee releasing edited clips of the interview, and suggested that he make his own recording of the interview and sign an agreement to keep the recording in a file, to be released only if portions of Mastriano’s interview are released that need additional context. 

“I want to work out a reasonable resolution,” Parlatore told NBC10 by phone. “He’s got nothing to hide.”

Mastriano has a virtual interview scheduled with the committee on Tuesday, Parlatore said. 

Mastriano was subpoenaed by the committee earlier this year along with five others the committee said had knowledge of or participated in “efforts to send false ‘alternate electors’” to Washington after the 2020 election then-President Trump lost. 

A letter to Mastriano in February from committee chair Rep. Bennie Thompson also referenced Mastriano’s presence in Washington on January 6. That letter said "Based on your public statements, we understand that you were present during the attack on the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021, and that you witnessed 'agitators ... getting in the face of the police' and 'agitators ... start pushing the police up the [Capitol] steps.'"

Parlatore’s letter also said that the committee now wants the interview to be done as a compelled deposition rather than a voluntary interview. The attorney argued that the committee doesn’t have the legal authority to conduct compelled depositions because of the way its Republican members were chosen for the panel. 

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