Page:Final Report of the Select Committee to Investigate the January 6th Attack on the United States Capitol.pdf/561



the Kremers—who had helped organize “Stop the Steal” activities—distanced themselves from Jones and Alexander.

But there was an additional problem. President Trump wanted to include the “Stop the Steal” leaders in the January 6th event. As Pierson put it in a text message to Kylie Kremer: “POTUS likes the crazies.” Pierson said that she believed this was the case because President Trump “loved people who viciously defended him in public.” But their “vicious” defenses of the President clearly troubled Pierson.

Pierson tried to trim the speaker lineup—which still included the “Stop the Steal” trio of Stone, Jones, and Alexander. She was initially vetoed by the White House after Deputy Chief of Staff for Communications Dan Scavino, who had approved the “original psycho list.” At one point, she texted Scavino’s boss, Mark Meadows, saying: “Things have gotten crazy and I desperately need some direction.” She was concerned by the possibility of “crazy people” being included in the event, their incendiary role in Georgia, and the fact that people coming to Washington, DC were planning to protest at the U.S. Capitol.

Meadows told Pierson that she should take control of the situation and remove the possibility of controversial speakers. Pierson agreed to do