By MICHAEL BALSAMO, ERIC TUCKER and NOMAAN MERCHANT
WASHINGTON (AP) — Federal brokers searched a former prime Justice Department official’s residence and seized data from key Republicans in no less than 5 states linked to Donald Trump’s efforts to overturn the 2020 election, in what had been clear indicators that authorities are ramping up their investigation of associates of the previous president.
Authorities on Wednesday searched the Virginia residence of Jeffrey Clark, who was recognized on the Justice Department to champion Trump’s false claims of election fraud. Agents in current days additionally served subpoenas on the Republican Party chairmen of Arizona, Nevada and Georgia, three states that went for President Joe Biden and the place Trump allies created slates of “alternate electors” supposed to subvert the vote. And Republicans in two different states — Michigan and Pennsylvania — disclosed that they had been interviewed by the FBI.
The Justice Department seems to be escalating its probe of pro-Trump efforts to overturn the 2020 election, which culminated within the lethal Jan. 6 riot. The disclosures of legislation enforcement exercise got here because the U.S. House committee investigating the riot mentioned it had new proof of Trump’s efforts and his information that he had no authorized foundation to attempt to overturn the election.
The committee’s Thursday listening to targeted on Trump’s need to put in Clark atop the Justice Department in his administration’s final days. The cause for the search of Clark’s residence was not instantly clear and it was not recognized what data brokers had been trying to find. The one that confirmed the search was not approved to debate it by title and spoke on situation of anonymity.
In an interview Thursday evening on Fox News Channel, Clark alleged the timing of the search warrant was “highly politicized” and questioned why his residence was searched someday earlier than the congressional listening to.
“It looks highly coincidental and … I just don’t believe in coincidences,” he mentioned.
Both the committee and federal authorities are probing using replacements for duly chosen electors in seven battleground states that voted for Biden. Trump and his allies furiously pressured authorities in these states to interchange Biden’s electors with ones for him on specious or nonexistent allegations that his victory was stolen.
The committee this week disclosed textual content messages that confirmed an aide to U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson, a Wisconsin Republican and Trump ally, tried to hand-deliver pretend elector certificates to an aide for former Vice President Mike Pence. The texts present Pence’s aide refused to just accept the votes.
Johnson advised a Wisconsin conservative speak radio host on Thursday that the pretend elector slates got here from the workplace of Rep. Mike Kelly of Pennsylvania. A spokesman for Kelly responded that Johnson’s declare was “patently false.”
Said the spokesman, Matt Knoedler, “Mr. Kelly has not spoken to Sen. Johnson for the better part of a decade, and he has no knowledge of the claims Mr. Johnson is making related to the 2020 election.”
Among those that have obtained subpoenas in current days, in accordance with an individual aware of the matter who was not approved to debate an ongoing investigation, was Georgia Republican Party Chair David Shafer.
Nevada GOP Chair Michael McDonald turned over his telephone to federal brokers Wednesday once they approached him exterior his automotive in Las Vegas and introduced a warrant, in accordance with one other particular person aware of the matter. McDonald in December 2020 stood exterior Nevada’s state capitol with different pretend electors to swear a so-called “oath of office,” flanked by males in camouflage with semi-automatic rifles.
Arizona Republican Party Chair Kelli Ward, her husband, Michael Ward, and two different alternate electors additionally obtained subpoenas, in accordance with a 3rd particular person aware of the matter who was not approved to debate it publicly.
In Pennsylvania, FBI brokers interviewed the chairman of the Allegheny County Republican Party at his residence Thursday and gave him a subpoena for communications between him, Trump electors within the state and members of Trump’s marketing campaign and authorized crew, the celebration official, Sam DeMarco, advised the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
DeMarco mentioned in an announcement that his conduct as an elector was “open, above-board and predicated solely on protecting President Trump’s legal rights should he prevail in court. That is why I agreed to serve as an elector solely in the event the president prevailed in his legal challenge to the Pennsylvania vote.”
And in Michigan, Michele Lundgren advised the Detroit News that somebody from the FBI served her with a subpoena Thursday and that one other Trump elector was served on Wednesday. Lundgren, 72, mentioned her dialogue with the agent was “long” and “pleasant” and that she let one of many brokers undergo her telephone and pc.
“They kept asking me questions and asking me questions, and I kept telling them answers,” she mentioned.
Clark’s residence was searched by federal brokers shortly earlier than a committee listening to through which he was the main target. Three different former Justice Department officers testified about a unprecedented Jan. 3, 2021, Oval Office assembly at which Trump contemplated naming Clark — who led the division’s civil division — as appearing legal professional normal instead of Jeffrey Rosen, who resisted Trump’s efforts to contain the company.
Trump relented solely when different senior Justice Department officers warned Trump that they might resign if he adopted by along with his plan to interchange Rosen with Clark.
A lawyer for Clark didn’t return an e-mail and telephone message searching for remark.
Chairman Bennie Thompson mentioned he learn in regards to the raid on Clark’s residence moments earlier than the listening to began. “We’re not privy to what the Department of Justice’s reasoning is for doing it,” he mentioned. “As you know, we demonstrated that he was recommended to lead the Department of Justice and people felt that he was absolutely unqualified to do so.”
Russ Vought, president of the Center for Renewing America, which Clark not too long ago joined as a senior fellow, tweeted that federal officers compelled Clark “into the streets” whereas he was carrying pajamas and “took his electronic devices.”
“All because Jeff saw fit to investigate voter fraud,” Vought continued. “This is not America, folks. The weaponization of govt must end. Let me be very clear. We stand by Jeff and so must all patriots in this country.”
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Associated Press writers Scott Bauer in Madison, Wisconsin, Sara Burnett in Chicago, Marc Levy in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, Sam Metz in Salt Lake City, Utah, and Michelle L. Price in New York contributed to this report.
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For full protection of the Jan. 6 hearings, go to https://www.apnews.com/capitol-siege.
Source: www.bostonherald.com”