Reports have surfaced that the Department of Justice is investigating the actions and communication of former President Donald Trump as they look into the alleged efforts of his inner circle to overturn the 2020 election results.
On Tuesday (July 26), the Washington Post reported that the DOJ had asked witnesses before a grand jury about meetings Trump had in December 2020 and January 2021, in addition to the pressure campaign he launched on then-Vice President Mike Pence to overturn the 2020 election.
Sources familiar with the matter relayed to The Post that the questions centered around Trump’s involvement in the effort to overturn the election.
Before this report emerged, the DOJ had primarily focused on Trump’s lawyers — Rudi Giuliani and John Eastman — in its investigation into the matter.
Although the DOJ has not confirmed that the focus of their investigation has turned toward Trump, there have been some signs that point to this being a possibility.
Appearing on Fox News’s “Special Report,” former aid to Pence Marc Short, confirmed to host Brett Bauer that he had recently been interviewed by a grand jury but declined to specify what the questions entailed.
Comments made by Attorney General Merrick Garland hours before the Washington Post published its report also seem to back up the Post’s claims.
In an appearance on NBC’s “Nightly News,” Garland was asked if indicting a former President would create further division in the county; the AG replied that the DOJ would pursue justice “without fear or favor.”
“We intend to hold everyone, anyone who was criminally responsible for the events surrounding January 6, for any attempt to interfere with the lawful transfer of power from one administration to another, accountable,” Garland continued.
The DOJ’s investigation, which is separate from the Jan. 6 Select Committee’s investigation could be more damning for Trump, as the Justice Department has the power to launch criminal investigations.
