Trump special counsel subpoenas officials in four more 2020 battlegrounds

Special counsel Jack Smith has subpoenaed state and local election officials in Georgia, Nevada, New Mexico and Pennsylvania as part of the Justice Department’s wide-ranging investigation into efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election.

The newly appointed special counsel, who was brought in last month to oversee several Department of Justice (DOJ) cases related to former President Trump, had previously issued subpoenas to county officials in three other 2020 battleground states: Arizona, Michigan and Wisconsin.

A prominent figure in the 2020 election saga, Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger (R) was issued a subpoena on Friday. Raffensperger rose to prominence after he rejected the former president’s requests to “find” 11,780 votes in the state — the margin of now-President Biden’s victory — in a January 2021 call that was later leaked. 

Raffensperger’s subpoena, like those sent to other election officials, requested that he testify before the grand jury and produce any communications with Trump, his campaign and 19 other individuals, including former Trump attorneys John Eastman, Rudy Giuliani and Sidney Powell.

Election officials in Cobb County, Ga., also confirmed that they received a subpoena from the DOJ.

New Mexico Secretary of State Maggie Toulouse Oliver (D) received a subpoena in late November, around the same time as officials in Dane County, Wis., Maricopa County, Ariz., and Wayne County, Mich.

The Justice Department also reportedly has issued subpoenas to officials in Allegheny County, Pa., and Clark County, Nev., according to The Washington Post. 

Smith was appointed by Attorney General Merrick Garland on Nov. 18 to take over the Trump-related aspects of the Justice Department’s investigation into efforts to block the transfer of power in 2020 and the Jan. 6, 2021, riot as well as the investigation into Trump’s potential mishandling of classified documents recovered from his Mar-a-Lago residence.