DOJ subpoenas election officials in states Trump disputed

my name is eric tucker and I cover the FBI Justice Department and National Security for the Associated Press in Washington. Former President Donald trump has announced his intention to run for the White House again. And that brings fresh attention to *** slew of Justice Department investigations that hover around him and his orbit as we speak. The short answer about any impact on the Justice Department's investigations is that there won't really be much of one. It's important to note that the Justice Department is fully permitted to investigate and indeed prosecute people who are running for office, including the office of President. So there is no reason in the near interim to expect that the Justice Department investigation will slow down in any way. That says, it is of course politically challenging and difficult for the Justice Department to operate *** criminal investigation that involves *** presidential candidate or really any candidate for office. And the desire for the Department would be presumably to try to wrap this up or concluded one way or the other as soon as it can. I think it is reasonable to assume that Donald trump will be speaking quite *** bit on the campaign trail about the Justice investigations that he currently faces as well as the investigation in Georgia. Those are matters that are on the minds of the american people and they're also clearly on the minds of Donald trump himself. He is um very agitated by the existence of these investigations. He has attacked them uh professed his innocence and being on the campaign trail gives him an open microphone to say the things that he wants to say to defend himself, Iowa, we expect that the Justice Department will remain silent in the face of attacks from Donald trump. It is customary for the department to not respond to criticism from people who are under investigation. And I would think that that would not be any different here. I would imagine that what we will hear from the department will be when it chooses to indict if it chooses to indict and some sort of disclosure about the conclusion of the investigation and that is likely to be it.

Related video above: Trump announces presidential run amid legal woes Special counsel Jack Smith has subpoenaed local election officials in Wisconsin, Michigan, Arizona and Pennsylvania, asking for communications with or involving former President Donald Trump, his 2020 campaign aides and a list of allies involved in his efforts to try to overturn the results of the election.The requests, issued to Milwaukee and Dane counties in Wisconsin; Wayne County, Michigan; Maricopa County, Arizona; and Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, are the first known subpoenas by Smith, who was named special counsel last month by Attorney General Merrick Garland.Smith is overseeing the Justice Department's investigation into the presence of classified documents at Trump's Florida estate as well as key aspects of a separate probe involving the violent storming of the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, and Trump's frantic efforts to remain in power.The subpoenas, some of which were first reported by The Washington Post, are the clearest indication yet that Smith바카라 게임 웹사이트�s work will include an examination of the fake electors that were part of Trump바카라 게임 웹사이트�s efforts to subvert the election count and certification. All of the states where requests were sent are states that Trump and his allies targeted as they tried to overturn the democratic vote. In Pennsylvania, for instance, Trump바카라 게임 웹사이트�s campaign sued unsuccessfully in court to try to overturn President Joe Biden's victory, and his allies organized a Trump slate of electors to send to Congress. Trump and his allies also repeatedly contacted top Republican lawmakers, at times asking about using the GOP-controlled legislature to give lawmakers the power to overturn the election. They refused.The subpoenas, two of which were obtained by The Associated Press, request 바카라 게임 웹사이트�any and all communications in any form바카라 게임 웹사이트� between June 1, 2020, and Jan. 20, 2021, 바카라 게임 웹사이트�to, from, or involving바카라 게임 웹사이트� Trump, his campaign, lawyers and aides, including but not limited to former campaign officials like Bill Stepien and Justin Clark and lawyers John Eastman, Boris Epshteyn, Sidney Powell and former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani.In Wisconsin, Milwaukee County Clerk George Christenson said he received a subpoena on Monday and is working with the county바카라 게임 웹사이트�s attorney to comply with the request as soon as possible. "I don't see any issues with it," he said. "Many of those names aren't familiar to me, so I don't know how many of those individuals did reach out to us. For example, I don't recall receiving anything from Rudy Giuliani. I think I would have remembered that. But who knows."Christenson said he hoped the documents would help with the investigation, but he didn't expect to turn over anything that hasn't already been made public."I don't expect to find any smoking gun," Christenson said.Dane County Clerk Scott McDonell said he received a similar subpoena on Dec. 1, asking for communications he had with "the gang of people you would sort of expect."McDonell said the only person on the list that his office had interaction with was Jim Troupis, Trump's Wisconsin-based attorney. Trump ordered a recount of ballots cast in Milwaukee and Dane counties, the two largest Democratic counties in Wisconsin, following the 2020 election. Troupis spearheaded the legal effort not to count tens of thousands of ballots cast absentee in that election, including his own.McDonell said he didn't expect his response to the subpoena to reveal anything that "hasn't been covered in the past.""I don't have any stories of Trump calling me at dinner like the other guys," McDonell said.Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson confirmed that Wayne County had received a subpoena from Smith but did not provide additional information on what it was seeking.바카라 게임 웹사이트�We welcome and support the work of any law enforcement agency working to ensure full accountability for efforts to illegally overturn the fair and accurate results of Michigan바카라 게임 웹사이트�s 2020 election,바카라 게임 웹사이트� Benson said in a statement sent to The Associated Press.Trump바카라 게임 웹사이트�s efforts to overturn the 2020 election in Michigan centered on Detroit바카라 게임 웹사이트�s convention hall, which is located in Wayne County. Trump falsely claimed poll workers there 바카라 게임 웹사이트�were duplicating ballots,바카라 게임 웹사이트� and an unsuccessful lawsuit by his campaign on Election Day forced election workers to temporarily halt the tallying of votes in the state바카라 게임 웹사이트�s largest city.Another lawsuit was filed by several attorneys, including Trump allies Powell and L. Lin Wood, after the 2020 election on behalf of six Republican voters who wanted a federal judge to decertify Michigan바카라 게임 웹사이트�s results and impound voting machines. The judge declined, calling the request 바카라 게임 웹사이트�stunning in its scope and breathtaking in its reach.바카라 게임 웹사이트�Trump and his allies also focused on voting machines in Antrim County, which is located just north of Detroit. Republican attorney general candidate Matthew DePerno, who lost to Democratic incumbent Dana Nessel in the 2022 midterms, sued Antrim County, claiming voting machines there recorded votes for Trump as being for Biden. A Michigan special prosecutor is currently reviewing whether to criminally charge DePerno and others for attempting to gain access to voting machines after that election.Angela Benander, a spokesperson for the Michigan Department of State, said the department wasn't aware of any other counties being issued subpoenas from Smith.In Arizona, Maricopa County also received a subpoena and will comply, said county spokesperson Fields Moseley.The county, which includes the Phoenix area and more than 60% of Arizona voters, had been a centerpiece of Trump바카라 게임 웹사이트�s efforts to overturn the election and cast doubt on the results.Trump allies tried to pressure Republicans on the county board of supervisors not to certify his loss in 2020, and when they did so, continued trying to reach them as Congress prepared to tally the electoral votes on Jan. 6. Clint Hickman, then the chairman of the board, dodged calls from the White House operator, who left voicemails saying the president was trying to reach him.In Pennsylvania, Allegheny County, the state바카라 게임 웹사이트�s second-most populous and home to Pittsburgh, received a subpoena as well, a spokesperson confirmed.A Justice Department spokesperson declined to comment Tuesday.In addition to the DOJ, Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis has also been investigating whether Trump and his allies illegally tried to interfere in the 2020 election in Georgia. ___Colvin reported from New York. Associated Press writers Joey Cappelletti in Lansing, Michigan, Jonathan J. Cooper in Phoenix, Marc Levy in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, and Eric Tucker in Washington contributed to this report.

Related video above: Trump announces presidential run amid legal woes

Special counsel Jack Smith has subpoenaed local election officials in Wisconsin, Michigan, Arizona and Pennsylvania, asking for communications with or involving former President Donald Trump, his 2020 campaign aides and a list of allies involved in his efforts to try to overturn the results of the election.

The requests, issued to Milwaukee and Dane counties in Wisconsin; Wayne County, Michigan; Maricopa County, Arizona; and Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, are the first known subpoenas by Smith, who was named special counsel last month by Attorney General Merrick Garland.

Smith is overseeing the Justice Department's investigation into the presence of classified documents at Trump's Florida estate as well as key aspects of a separate probe involving the violent storming of the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, and Trump's frantic efforts to remain in power.

The subpoenas, some of which were first reported by The Washington Post, are the clearest indication yet that Smith바카라 게임 웹사이트�s work will include an examination of the fake electors that were part of Trump바카라 게임 웹사이트�s efforts to subvert the election count and certification. All of the states where requests were sent are states that Trump and his allies targeted as they tried to overturn the democratic vote.

In Pennsylvania, for instance, Trump바카라 게임 웹사이트�s campaign sued unsuccessfully in court to try to overturn President Joe Biden's victory, and his allies organized a Trump slate of electors to send to Congress. Trump and his allies also repeatedly contacted top Republican lawmakers, at times asking about using the GOP-controlled legislature to give lawmakers the power to overturn the election. They refused.

The subpoenas, two of which were obtained by The Associated Press, request 바카라 게임 웹사이트�any and all communications in any form바카라 게임 웹사이트� between June 1, 2020, and Jan. 20, 2021, 바카라 게임 웹사이트�to, from, or involving바카라 게임 웹사이트� Trump, his campaign, lawyers and aides, including but not limited to former campaign officials like Bill Stepien and Justin Clark and lawyers John Eastman, Boris Epshteyn, Sidney Powell and former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani.

In Wisconsin, Milwaukee County Clerk George Christenson said he received a subpoena on Monday and is working with the county바카라 게임 웹사이트�s attorney to comply with the request as soon as possible.

"I don't see any issues with it," he said. "Many of those names aren't familiar to me, so I don't know how many of those individuals did reach out to us. For example, I don't recall receiving anything from Rudy Giuliani. I think I would have remembered that. But who knows."

Christenson said he hoped the documents would help with the investigation, but he didn't expect to turn over anything that hasn't already been made public.

"I don't expect to find any smoking gun," Christenson said.

Dane County Clerk Scott McDonell said he received a similar subpoena on Dec. 1, asking for communications he had with "the gang of people you would sort of expect."

McDonell said the only person on the list that his office had interaction with was Jim Troupis, Trump's Wisconsin-based attorney. Trump ordered a recount of ballots cast in Milwaukee and Dane counties, the two largest Democratic counties in Wisconsin, following the 2020 election. Troupis spearheaded the legal effort not to count tens of thousands of ballots cast absentee in that election, including his own.

McDonell said he didn't expect his response to the subpoena to reveal anything that "hasn't been covered in the past."

"I don't have any stories of Trump calling me at dinner like the other guys," McDonell said.

Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson confirmed that Wayne County had received a subpoena from Smith but did not provide additional information on what it was seeking.

바카라 게임 웹사이트�We welcome and support the work of any law enforcement agency working to ensure full accountability for efforts to illegally overturn the fair and accurate results of Michigan바카라 게임 웹사이트�s 2020 election,바카라 게임 웹사이트� Benson said in a statement sent to The Associated Press.

Trump바카라 게임 웹사이트�s efforts to overturn the 2020 election in Michigan centered on Detroit바카라 게임 웹사이트�s convention hall, which is located in Wayne County. Trump falsely claimed poll workers there 바카라 게임 웹사이트�were duplicating ballots,바카라 게임 웹사이트� and an unsuccessful lawsuit by his campaign on Election Day forced election workers to temporarily halt the tallying of votes in the state바카라 게임 웹사이트�s largest city.

Another lawsuit was filed by several attorneys, including Trump allies Powell and L. Lin Wood, after the 2020 election on behalf of six Republican voters who wanted a federal judge to decertify Michigan바카라 게임 웹사이트�s results and impound voting machines. The judge declined, calling the request 바카라 게임 웹사이트�stunning in its scope and breathtaking in its reach.바카라 게임 웹사이트�

Trump and his allies also focused on voting machines in Antrim County, which is located just north of Detroit. Republican attorney general candidate Matthew DePerno, who lost to Democratic incumbent Dana Nessel in the 2022 midterms, sued Antrim County, claiming voting machines there recorded votes for Trump as being for Biden. A Michigan special prosecutor is currently reviewing whether to criminally charge DePerno and others for attempting to gain access to voting machines after that election.

Angela Benander, a spokesperson for the Michigan Department of State, said the department wasn't aware of any other counties being issued subpoenas from Smith.

In Arizona, Maricopa County also received a subpoena and will comply, said county spokesperson Fields Moseley.

The county, which includes the Phoenix area and more than 60% of Arizona voters, had been a centerpiece of Trump바카라 게임 웹사이트�s efforts to overturn the election and cast doubt on the results.

Trump allies tried to pressure Republicans on the county board of supervisors not to certify his loss in 2020, and when they did so, continued trying to reach them as Congress prepared to tally the electoral votes on Jan. 6. Clint Hickman, then the chairman of the board, dodged calls from the White House operator, who left voicemails saying the president was trying to reach him.

In Pennsylvania, Allegheny County, the state바카라 게임 웹사이트�s second-most populous and home to Pittsburgh, received a subpoena as well, a spokesperson confirmed.

A Justice Department spokesperson declined to comment Tuesday.

In addition to the DOJ, Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis has also been investigating whether Trump and his allies illegally tried to interfere in the 2020 election in Georgia.

___

Colvin reported from New York. Associated Press writers Joey Cappelletti in Lansing, Michigan, Jonathan J. Cooper in Phoenix, Marc Levy in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, and Eric Tucker in Washington contributed to this report.

DOJ subpoenas election officials in states Trump disputed

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