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Shirkey to 1/6 Committee: People wanting election overturned believed 'things that were untrue'

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(WXYZ) — A portion of the House January 6 Committee's interview with Michigan Senate Majority Leader Mike Shirkey was played in the public hearing on Tuesday in Washington D.C.

The hearing, which is the fourth public hearing, focused on then-President Donald Trump's efforts to pressure state lawmakers and state election officials to overturn the election despite not having the ability to do so.

Just weeks after the election, Trump hosted Shirkey and then-Michigan House Speaker Lee Chatfield at the White House for a meeting.

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After the meeting, the men released a statement that said in part, "We have not yet been made aware of any information that would change the outcome of the election in Michigan and as legislative leaders, we will follow the law and follow the normal process regarding Michigan’s electors, just as we have said throughout this election."

During the clip that was aired in the hearing, Shirkey was asked if either he or Chatfield made it a point to Trump that they weren't going to violate the law.

Related: AG Barr said he told Trump, 'there is no evidence of voter fraud in Detroit'

"I believe we did. Whether or not it was those exact words or not. I think the words I would've more likely used was that we were going to follow the law," Shirkey said.

The clip also mentioned a tweet shortly after the meeting that urged people to call and text Shirkey and tell him to overturn the election results.

Shirkey said in the interview he received around 4,000 text messages in a short period of time.

"It was a loud noise, loud consistent cadence, of, 'We heard that the Trump folks are calling and asking for changes in electors and you guys can do this,'" Shirkey said. "Well, they were believing things that were untrue."

The committee also played a clip of an interview with Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson, who spoke about people protesting outside of her house.

"The uncertainty of that was what was the fear. Are they coming with guns, are they going to attack my house? I'm in here with my kid, trying to put him to bed. That was the scariest moment was not knowing what was going to happen," Benson said.

SOS Jocelyn Benson's interview with Jan. 6 Committee

President Joe Biden won Michigan and beat Trump by more than 150,000 votes.