(PresidentialInsider.com)- An investigation into the time following the 2020 election has reached deeper into the orbit of the former president Donald Trump, with federal prosecutors issuing a subpoena to a personal aide of the former president to obtain testimony from that individual.
According to a report in the New York Times, the interest of the investigators in William S. Russell, who is a special assistant and the deputy director of presidential advance operations in the White House, is connected to a grand jury investigation of the riot that occurred on January 6, 2021, at the United States Capitol and events that occurred around it.
After Mr. Trump left office, Mr. Russell remained Mr. Trump’s personal assistant and continued working for him.
It is not obvious what information the prosecutors seek to obtain from the aide, but this is another indication that the investigation is growing. The probe seems to focus on individuals referred to as “fake electors,” who may have been responsible for preventing the certification of votes cast for President Biden in the Electoral College by residents of swing states.
The grand jury has requested the appearance of some of the most senior advisors to former Vice President Mike Pence. After having a front-row seat to the action at the White House on or around January 6, former White House Counsel Pat A. Cipollone and his former deputy, Patrick Philbin, have testified in front of the panel.
Before the unrest broke out in the Capitol, Mr. Trump lashed out at Mr. Pence for performing his duty and recognizing Mr. Biden’s victory in the electoral college.
The FBI or Mr. Russell’s counsel did not comment to The Times regarding the allegations made in the piece.
The federal investigation is proceeding concurrently with the spectacle surrounding the FBI raid on Mr. Trump’s resort in South Florida. The inquiry into why sensitive materials were housed at Mar-a-Lago could be delayed due to a decision made by a federal court that approved the appointment of a special master to analyze documents acquired from the estate.
