Most members of Congress spend their time trying to pass laws. Scott Perry spent the final weeks of 2020 trying to overthrow one.
A Senate Judiciary Committee report found that Perry played a “direct role” — more so than other House Republicans — in helping Donald Trump challenge the 2020 election results. Former White House aide Cassidy Hutchinson went further, calling Perry “central to the planning of January 6th.”
And then? Hutchinson alleged that Perry asked Trump for a presidential pardon after the Capitol attack. Innocent people don’t usually need pardons.
THE TEXTS TELL THE STORY
When a judge ordered Perry to turn over more than 1,600 communications from his cell phone to Special Counsel Jack Smith, the texts revealed an extraordinary web of contacts:
December 30, 2020: Perry texted Jeffrey Clark — a DOJ official Trump was considering installing as acting Attorney General to help overturn the election. “POTUS seems very happy with your response,” Perry wrote. Clark replied: “I’m praying. This makes me quite nervous.” Perry reassured him: “You are the man. I have confirmed it.”
December 12, 2020: Perry texted with RNC Chair Ronna McDaniel about efforts to challenge Biden’s victory.
December 30, 2020–January 5, 2021: Perry exchanged messages with a former DOJ colleague about a plan to have Vice President Pence “admit testimony” before the counting of electoral votes. Perry agreed to “sell the idea” with a call to Trump, Pence, and John Eastman.
Perry also texted with Trump campaign lawyers, Pennsylvania state legislators including Doug Mastriano, and “cybersecurity individuals” working with Sidney Powell. In one exchange, Perry relayed an “incredibly spooky” allegation that the U.S. Army had confiscated election servers in Germany to cover up fraud.
Perry joined a “Stop the Steal” rally in Harrisburg, called Pennsylvania’s election a “horrific embarrassment” on Fox Business, signed an amicus brief supporting a lawsuit to invalidate millions of votes, and ultimately voted against certifying his own state’s election results — hours after a mob scarred the Capitol.
Now, in November 2025, Perry went on the radio to call for jailing the FBI agents who investigated him. Not accountability. Revenge.
While Pennsylvanians needed help recovering from a global pandemic, their congressman was busy trying to throw out their votes — and then trying to make sure he’d never face consequences for it.