Former DOJ official calls Italian government vote switch theory 'pure insanity'
Richard Donoghue, the acting United States deputy attorney general from December 2020 to January 2021, testified that the conspiracy theory that an Italian defense contractor uploaded software to a satellite that switched votes from then-President Donald Trump to Joe Biden was “patently absurd.”
Video Transcript
ADAM KINZINGER: So the final email here included a completely baseless conspiracy theory that an Italian defense contractor uploaded software to a satellite that switched votes from Trump to Biden. The select committee investigation found that this wild, baseless conspiracy theory made it from the recesses of the internet to the highest echelons of our government. On December 31, Mr. Meadows received this internet conspiracy theory from Representative Perry.
On the screen now is the text that Representative Perry sent to Mr. Meadows, copying a YouTube link with the message, quote, "Why can't we just work with the Italian government?" The next day, the president's chief of staff sent the YouTube link to Mr. Rosen, who forwarded it to Mr. Donoghue. Mr. Donoghue, did you watch this video?
RICHARD DONOGHUE: I did, Congressman.
ADAM KINZINGER: How long was the video?
RICHARD DONOGHUE: Approximately 20 minutes.
ADAM KINZINGER: And what was your reaction when you watched that entire 20-minute video?
RICHARD DONOGHUE: I emailed the acting attorney general and I said, pure insanity, which was my impression of the video, which was patently absurd.
