In this 2020 photograph, U.S. Rep. Mike Kelly, R-16th, speaks at the opening of the Butler County Republican Party's new office in Slippery Rock. Kelly was one of 398 members of Congress sanctioned by Russia on Wednesday.

An internal investigation conducted by U.S. Rep. Mike Kelly’s office found no staff members had prior knowledge of his former chief of staff’s reported conversation with the staff of a U.S. senator about providing fabricated electoral college votes from Michigan and Wisconsin for the 2020 election.

Wisconsin Sen. Ron Johnson, a Republican, claimed in a radio interview in June that Kelly’s office had provided his office with alternate slates of electors, which Johnson’s office sought on Jan. 6, 2021, to give to then-Vice President Mike Pence. Kelly has denied the accusation.

Later, Johnson's office gave news outlets a screenshot of a phone record showing that his chief of staff, Sean Riley, had held a 2-minute call with the phone number for Kelly’s former chief of staff, Matt Stroia, at 11:58 a.m. Jan. 6.

“The timing of our internal investigation began three weeks ago once we learned of Sen. Johnson’s accusations. To date, our current chief of staff has not found staff members to have had prior knowledge of Mr. Stroia’s reported actions,” said Matthew Knoedler, Kelly’s press secretary via email on Friday.

“Further, Mr. Kelly is unaware of Mr. Stroia’s reported actions. We have closed the internal review,” he continued.

He said the investigation concluded Thursday.

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