- Steil defended his decision to hire a former Trump campaign staffer who worked on overturning the 2020 election results in Arizona. When Steil faced criticism for his choice, he defended the staffer, claiming: “What he did for a previous employer I don’t think is terribly relevant.”
Steil Hired A Former Trump Campaign Staffer Who Was Involved In Overturning The 2020 Election To Work On A Committee He Chaired. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "House committee led by U.S. Rep. Bryan Steil hired a former Trump campaign staffer reportedly involved in efforts to overturn the 2020 election in Arizona — a move Steil defended this week as not relevant to the panel's focus on boosting the public's trust in elections." [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 5/10/23]
- The Staffer Previously Worked On Trump’s Election Overturning Efforts In Arizona And Was Subpoenaed By Federal Agents Investigating The 2021 Attack On The Capitol. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Steil, who chairs the House Administration Committee, told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that Thomas Lane is a ‘junior staffer’ working on the committee’s election team. Lane joined the committee in February as elections counsel and director of election coalitions with a $155,000 salary, according to committee records. Lane previously worked for former President Donald Trump’s reelection campaign in Arizona and New Mexico from late 2020 to January 2021, according to his LinkedIn profile. He appeared to be at a December 2020 meeting where 11 Arizona Republicans falsely declared themselves presidential electors and was subpoenaed last year by federal agents investigating the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol." [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 5/10/23]
- Steil Defended The Staffer Claiming: “What He Did For A Previous Employer I Don’t Think Is Terribly Relevant.” According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "‘The election integrity efforts that we’re working on is making it easy to vote and hard to cheat,’ Steil said in a brief interview Tuesday. ‘What he did for a previous employer I don’t think is terribly relevant when he was in his young 20s.’ ‘He’s come on board and is assisting in us moving forward our agenda of key voter integrity laws,’ Steil said. ‘As a junior staffer on the team, I don’t think it’s terribly relevant.’" [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 5/10/23]
HEADLINE: “Former Trump Campaign Staffer Subpoenaed By DOJ Is Now Working For House Committee On Elections” [Politico, 5/5/23]