Fed prosecutors subpoena records from Sidney Powell's groups as part of criminal probe: report

Federal prosecutors subpoenaed financial records for multiple organizations launched by controversial pro-Trump lawyer Sidney Powell following the 2020 election, The Washington Post reports.

"The grand jury subpoena, issued in September by the U.S. attorney’s office for the District of Columbia, sought communications and other records related to fundraising and accounting by groups including Defending the Republic, a Texas-based organization claiming 501(c) 4 nonprofit status, and a PAC by the same name, according to the documents and a person familiar with the investigation who spoke on the condition of anonymity to share details of the probe," the newspaper reported. "The subpoena reviewed by The Post was signed by Assistant U.S. Attorney Molly Gaston, who is also handling politically charged matters related to the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol, including contempt of Congress charges brought against former Trump adviser Stephen K. Bannon for refusing to testify in front of the House committee investigating the pro-Trump riot."

Prosecutors sought records going back to Nov. 1, 2020.

"Her fantastical claims formed the basis of lawsuits she filed on behalf of voters and Trump electors challenging the results in multiple states. The lawsuits failed to convince judges, who dismissed each as groundless," the newspaper noted. "In the meantime, Powell was soliciting contributions from Trump supporters to help fund her efforts. She began asking for donations as early as Nov. 10, 2020, a week after the election, telling viewers of the 'Lou Dobbs Tonight' show on Fox Business that she had started a website called 'defendingtherepublic.org' where they could donate."

The organization spent $550,000 on the controversial audit of the votes in Maricopa County, Arizona.