Law enforcement officials on Wednesday searched the Virginia home of former top Justice Department official Jeffrey Clark, according to his employer and former Trump administration colleague.
Russ Vought, who served as former President Donald Trump’s White House budget director and now works with Clark at the Center for Renewing America, tweeted that “more than a dozen DOJ law enforcement officials searched Jeff Clark’s house in a pre dawn raid, put him in the streets in his pjs, and took his electronic devices.” A spokesperson for the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Washington stated only that law enforcement recently engaged in “activity” in the vicinity of Clark’s home.
That office is leading investigations related to the Capitol attack on Jan. 6, 2021.
[...]
A key question regarding the Clark search is whether it happened because of his connection to the alternate electors scheme, or because of other actions that are not currently known to be under investigation by the Justice Department. Regardless, it’s rare for former top administration officials, particularly from DOJ, to face law enforcement scrutiny.
The Clark search is not the only recent indication of law enforcement activity linked to the 2020 election gaining steam: Arizona GOP Chair Kelli Ward and her husband Michael have received grand jury subpoenas, according to a source familiar with the matter.
The development suggests a deepening DOJ investigation of an effort by Republican Party officials to deliver false slates of electors to Congress. Both Michael and Kelli Ward were among the pro-Trump activists who signed certificates claiming to be the duly-elected and qualified electors for Trump from Arizona.
[...]
The Clark-related activity came just before Congress’ Jan. 6 select committee held a public hearing that intensely scrutinized him and other allies of the former president.
[...]
Videos and witness testimony at the hearing also depicted a meeting on Jan. 3, 2021, that turned into a dogpile on Clark over his involvement in pushing false fraud claims. Eric Herschmann, who was a White House lawyer at the time, described in footage played by the select panel that he called Clark an “a-hole” in the meeting. The remark came after Clark talked about how he would use a grand jury to investigate Trump-backed fraud allegations.
“When he finished discussing what he planned on doing, I said good — fucking excuse me, sorry, a-hole — congratulations,” Herschmann said in taped testimony recalling his conversation with Clark. “You just admitted the first step or act you’d take as attorney general would be committing a felony and violating Rule 6(e). You’re clearly the right candidate for this job.”
Politico
No comments:
Post a Comment