DOJ Seizes Phones of Top Trump Associates as Dozens of Subpoenas are Handed Down in Jan. 6 Probe
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Two top associates of former President Donald Trump had their phones seized last week by the Justice Department as part of its investigation into the Jan. 6 Capitol attack.
The New York Times reported nearly 40 subpoenas were issued last week as part of the ongoing criminal investigation into the origins of the attack.
Former Trump campaign strategist Boris Epshteyn and former Trump White House assistant Mike Roman had their phones seized.
The Times reported:
The department’s actions represent a substantial escalation of a slow-simmer investigation two months before the midterm elections, coinciding with a separate inquiry into Mr. Trump’s hoarding of sensitive documents at his residence in Florida, Mar-a-Lago.
Among those the department has contacted since Wednesday are people who are close to the former president and have played significant roles in his post-White House life.
Among those who were issued subpoenas are former New York City Police Department commissioner Bernard Kerik and former Trump social media manager Dan Scavino.
The report described the subpoenas as “broad” in scope.
The Times‘ report added the DOJ requested information “about any members of the executive and legislative branches who may have taken part in planning or executing the rally, or tried to ‘obstruct, influence, impede or delay’ the certification of the presidential election.”
Former White House chief strategist Steve Bannon told right-wing activist Charlie Kirk there were dozens of “raids” carried out by the FBI Friday before news of the subpoenas had broken.
“There were 35 FBI raids yesterday,” Bannon said on Kirk’s podcast. “There’s another grand jury coming together on Jan. 6… There were 35 senior members of MAGA, Republicans, supporters of Donald Trump, the FBI rolled in on. When they didn’t need to do it. All these people have lawyers.”
Bannon referred to the agents who carried out the raids as the “Gestapo.”
