Justice Department asks Clark County for Trump messages
The U.S. Justice Department has asked Clark County for any communications with attorneys and other officials from former President Donald Trump, apparently related to an investigation of attempts to overturn the 2020 election in Nevada.
According to documents released by Clark County, a Washington, D.C.-based FBI special agent on Nov. 22 requested documents from the Clark County elections department, “pursuant to a criminal investigation being conduced by the Special Counsel’s Office.”
The Justice Department is conducting an inquiry into Trump’s attempts to overturn the 2020 election, including slates of electors that sent illegitimate rosters of Trump electors to Washington, allegedly as part of a scheme to allow Trump to remain in office despite losing the election. The investigation has already seen FBI agents seize the cell phone of Nevada Republican Party Chairman Michael McDonald, who was present when the fake elector certificates were signed in Carson City in December 2020.
But the subpoena appears to be aimed at legal attempts to undo the election.
”For the period June 1, 2020, through Jan. 20, 2021, produce any and all communications in any form to, from, or involving Donald J. Trump for President, Inc. (hereinafter, “the Trump Campaign”), Donald J. Trump or any employee or agent of, or attorney for, the Trump Campaign, or any records or documents that record, summarize, transcribe, annotate, or reflect any such communications,” the document reads.
The subpoena further lists 19 individuals associated with the Trump campaign whose communications the Justice Department is seeking, including attorneys such as John Eastman, the man who reportedly devised the scheme to send fake elector certificates to Washington, Jenna Ellis, Joe diGenova, Rudy Giuliani, Cleta Mitchell, Sidney Powell and Victoria Toensing. Also included on the list is Trump campaign manager Bill Stepien.
Last month, Attorney General Merrick Garland appointed former war crimes prosecutor Jack Smith as a special counsel to investigate the Trump election efforts.
Contact Steve Sebelius at SSebelius@reviewjournal.com. Follow @SteveSebelius on Twitter.
