Republican Congressman Scott Perry, who objected to the counting of Pennsylvania's electoral votes on January 6th in a failed bid to cancel his state's results, played a role in ex President Donald Trump's efforts toe oust the Justice Department's top official and replace him with a loyalist willing to support the effort to overturn his election defeat.

That's according to a report from The New York Times that said Perry arranged for Trump to meet Jeffrey Clarke, a Justice Department official originally from Philadelphia, who Trump considered naming to replace acting Attorney General Jeffrey Rosen.

Earlier this month, The Times reported that Clark, the acting assistant attorney general for the department civil division, was sympathetic to Trump stopped the steel campaign, and he met with Perry to discuss a plan to have the Justice Department send Georgia a letter disclosing the department would be investigating the election results.

Reuters has not independently verified the details of The New York Times report, which cited several anonymous former officials.

Neither Parried nor Clark could immediately be reached for comment.

In a statement to The New York Times, Clark declined comment on his relationship with Perry and denied trying to oust Rosen, saying he had Onley participated in a quote, candid discussion of options and pros and cons with the president.

On Saturday, the Democratic members of the Senate Judiciary Committee said the panel was launching a congressional probe into Trump and Clark's actions and asked for the department to turn over documents and communications to help assist their inquiry.

I have a written objection signed by a senator.

On the evening of January 6th, Perry joined with Republican Senator Josh Holly of Missouri to object to Pennsylvania's votes after lawmakers were forced to evacuate both chambers of Congress for several hours to escape a violent mob that had breached the capital.

The Senate later voted overwhelmingly to reject that effort.