The U.S. Department of Justice has subpoenaed the Georgia Secretary of State’s Office and at least one metro Atlanta county as it continues to investigate former President Donald Trump’s efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election.
A copy of the Dec. 9 subpoena obtained by The Washington Post shows DOJ has requested “any and all communications in any form to, from or involving” Trump, his campaign, employees or attorneys. The subpoena names 19 individuals — including attorneys John Eastman, Rudy Giuliani, Cleta Mitchell, L. Lin Wood and Sidney Powell.
A spokesperson for Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger confirmed the office had received a subpoena but declined to comment.
Meanwhile, a Cobb County spokesperson confirmed the county election board also received an FBI subpoena Monday for records related to the 2020 election. Last week, DOJ issued subpoenas to local officials in Arizona, Michigan and Wisconsin — three other states where Trump sought to overturn Democrat Joe Biden’s victory.
Representatives of Fulton, DeKalb and Gwinnett counties said they had not received subpoenas.
The DOJ has been investigating Trump’s efforts to overturn the election in Georgia and other swing states. Attorney General Merrick Garland appointed special counsel Jack Smith to oversee criminal investigations of Trump after the former president announced he will seek the Republican presidential nomination again in 2024.
The DOJ probe is one of several investigations into the former president’s post-election conduct.
Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis also is conducting a criminal probe, and a congressional committee held hearings last summer on Trump’s campaign to overturn the election. Congressional investigators are expected to issue their findings as soon as next week.
Willis’ investigation began by focusing on the January 2021 call in which Trump asked Raffensperger to find just enough votes for him to overturn Biden’s victory. Since then, her investigation has expanded to target the fake slate of presidential electors who participated in Trump’s far-fetched scheme.
DOJ also has been investigating the presidential electors. The latest subpoena to Raffensperger indicates the department’s probe also is casting a wide net.
About the Author
