Grand jury subpoenas ex-Trump White House lawyer Herschmann

Aug. 15 (UPI) -- A federal grand jury investigating activities linked to the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol building has subpoenaed Eric Hershmann, a White House lawyer during the Trump administration.

Unnamed sources confirmed to CNN, The New York Times and Politico that the subpoena seeks documents and testimony from Hershmann, a White House senior adviser who was present during key meetings between Trump officials planning to have the Justice Department overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election.

Herschmann has previously testified before a House committee looking into the causes of the attack on the Capitol, and he said he was involved in meetings with then-President Donald Trump and Jeffrey Clark, a federal environmental lawyer.

He said in testimony that Clark, a supporter of debunked claims that the 2020 general election was stolen from Trump, had detailed the plan to install himself as the attorney general during a Jan. 3, 2021, White House meeting.

"When he finished discussing what he planned on doing, I said ...'Congratulations, you just admitted your first step or act you would take as attorney general would be committing a felony and violating Rule 6(e). You're clearly the right candidate for this job,'" he said.

According to the House committee, Trump wanted Clark to lead the Justice Department because he could be easily controlled.

Herschmann is the latest Trump official to be subpoenaed after White House lawyers Pat Cipollone and Patrick Philbin were subpoenaed early this month. Both attorneys have testified before the House committee.