US Justice Department subpoenas 3 states in Trump 2020 election probe: Report

By Darren Lyn

HOUSTON, United States (AA) - The US Justice Department has subpoenaed officials in the state of Arizona, Michigan and Wisconsin regarding a 2020 election probe of former President Donald Trump.

Special Counsel Jack Smith issued the subpoenas -- at least three of which are dated Nov. 22 -- to election officials in Maricopa County, Arizona, Wayne County, Michigan and Dane County, Wisconsin, according to records obtained by The Washington Post.

The agency is asking for all communications with or involving Trump, his campaign aides and a list of allies involved in his efforts to try to overturn the results of the 2020 election.

“I’m happy to participate in this process,” said Milwaukee clerk George Christenson, who confirmed to the Post in an interview that the subpoena asks for communications with Trump and his campaign, including several key allies.

“I don’t see any issues with it,” Christenson 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.”

“I don’t expect to find any smoking gun," he added.

Dane County Clerk Scott McDonell confirmed receiving a similar subpoena asking for communications he had with “the gang of people you would sort of expect.”

McDonell said he did not expect his response to the subpoena to reveal anything that “hasn’t been covered in the past.”

“I am not aware of any significant communications that have not already been made public," he said.

Smith is overseeing the Justice Department’s investigation into the presence of classified documents at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate in the state of Florida as well as key aspects of a separate probe involving the deadly Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riots and Trump's last-ditch efforts to remain in power.

The subpoenas are the clearest indication that Smith’s work will include an examination of fake electors that were part of Trump’s efforts to subvert the election count and certification of results of President Joe Biden's win.

The Justice Department has declined to comment on the subpoenas.