One of the most colorful figures from the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol confronted protesters as he runs for Secretary of State in Arizona.
State Rep. Mark Finchem traveled to Washington, D.C. for the "Stop the Steal" rallies based on Donald Trump's "big lie" conspiracy theory. He was also paid $6,037 by the Trump campaign for "legal services" as the non-lawyer sought to overturn Trump's election loss in the state legislature.
In February, Finchem was subpoenaed by the House Select Committee Investigating the Jan. 6 Attack on the U.S. Capitol.
"Mark W. Finchem advanced unsubstantiated claims about the election and helped organize an event in Phoenix, Arizona on November 30th, 2020 at which former President Trump’s legal team and others spoke and advanced unproven claims of election and voter fraud. He was in Washington on January 6th, 2021 and stated that he had evidence to deliver to Vice President Pence in an effort to postpone the awarding of electors," the select committee said.
Deleted Mark Finchem tweet from Jan. 6.Screengrab via Archive.org
Finchem is something of an easy mark for those spreading conspiracy theories. He also believes in QAnon and in 2018 he was caught spreading conspiracy theories about MAGABomber Cesar Sayoc from a former porn star.
"Mark was willing to say what few others had the courage to say," is how Trump described it when he endorsed Finchem.
But it was his role in Trump's attempted coup that had one prominent local columnist labeling Finchem a "traitor."
On Friday, Finchem was protested by activists calling for a boycott of the Copper Queen Hotel in Bisbee.
One side cited Finchem's support for "far-right militias" and "extremists Oath Keepers."
In his 2014 campaign, Finchem admitted he was an Oath Keeper and if he wins, the election denier will become Arizona's chief elections officer.
Finchem confronted the protesters, calling them "Marxists."
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