Republican Arizona secretary of state candidate Mark Finchem said Thursday he's been interviewed by the Justice Department and Jan. 6 committee about the Capitol attack.
Arizona Secretary of State Republican candidate Mark Finchem listens to instructions prior to debating Democratic challenger Adrian Fontes, Thursday, Sept. 22, 2022, in Phoenix.Arizona Republican secretary of state candidate Mark Finchem revealed during Thursday's debate that he has been interviewed by both the Justice Department and Jan. 6 committee about his alleged involvement in the Capitol attack.
The four-term, far-right Arizona lawmaker, who continues to espouse the "Big Lie" and is running to be the state's chief election officer, revealed the Jan. 6 interview and Justice Department involvement in a back-and-forth on the debate stage with his opponent, Democrat Adrian Fontes. "Good," Fontes told reporters after the debate regarding the revelation that Finchem sat for investigators. "I hope they investigate, and if he did something wrong, I hope that they prosecute and convict him."
"Last time I checked, to be at a place when something is happening is not illegal," Finchem countered. "I've been treated as a witness, not a subject." While maintaining that former President Donald Trump won the 2020 election, Finchem said he has "no idea" if there were irregularities in the August primary, which he won, adding, "It is what it is.""Not the process, not the people running things, not the rules," Fontes replied, calling Finchem's comment "most telling."
Finchem has also previously said he supports getting rid of electronic voting machines in favor of a full hand-count of ballots.