Federal agents investigating the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol issued subpoenas to people in multiple locations, widening the probe of how political activists supporting President Trump tried to use invalid electors to thwart Joe Biden’s 2020 electoral victory. Agents conducted court-authorized law enforcement activity Wednesday morning at different locations, FBI officials confirmed to the Washington Post. One was the home of Brad Carver, a Georgia lawyer who allegedly signed a document claiming to be a Trump elector. The other was the Virginia home of Thomas Lane, who worked on the Trump campaign’s efforts in Arizona and New Mexico. Among those who received a subpoena Wednesday was David Shafer, chairman of the Georgia Republican Party, who served as a Trump elector in that state.
At least some would-be Trump electors in Michigan received subpoenas. It was not immediately clear whether that activity was related to a federal probe or a state-level criminal inquiry. Officials have previously said that the Justice Department was examining the issue of false electors, whom Trump and others hoped might be approved by state legislators in a last-ditch bid to keep Trump in the White House. Until now, those investigative efforts seemed to involve talking to people in Republican circles who knew of the scheme and objected. Subpoenas issued Wednesday suggest the Justice Department is now moving to question at least some of those who allegedly agreed to pursue the effort. The new DOJ investigative moves come amid a series of high-profile congressional hearings examining not just the riot at the Capitol, but also Trump’s efforts to undo Biden’s electoral victory through fake electors, lobbying the Justice Department and false claims of massive voter fraud. Amid an increase in the number of violent threats against lawmakers serving on the Jan. 6 investigating committee, panel members are all likely to receive a security detail.