Justice Department watchdog investigates possible attempt to overturn election results

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Inspector General Michael Horowitz’s office is launching “an investigation into whether a former or current DOJ official engaged in an inappropriate attempt to have the DOJ seek to alter the outcome of the 2020 presidential election,” said he announced Monday.

The investigation follows reports from the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal that former President Donald Trump attempted to use his Justice Department to challenge election results, an effort that included the possibility of ousting Acting Attorney General Jeffery. Rosen.
New York Times: Trump and DOJ lawyer intended to replace acting GA and overturn Georgia election result
The Times said in a report on Friday that Jeffrey Clark, a DOJ lawyer, almost convinced Trump earlier this month to impeach Rosen and use the department to overturn the results of the Georgia election.

Clark – who appealed to the former president’s false allegations of electoral fraud – met with Trump earlier in January and told Rosen after the meeting that the then president was going to replace him with Clark. Clark would then take action to prevent Congress from certifying the election results in Biden’s favor, the newspaper said.

Clark is no longer in the department.

Rosen asked to hear the news directly from Trump, the Times said, and arranged a meeting on the evening of Jan. 3 – the same day as Trump’s call with Georgian Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, in which Trump lobbied the state official to find enough. vote for him to win Georgia, came to light.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer called on Horowitz to launch an investigation on Saturday, writing in a tweet that it was “unacceptable that Trump’s Justice Department chief conspires to overthrow the will of the people.”

This story has been updated with additional details.

Caroline Kelly of CNN contributed to this report.

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