Special counsel's office contacted former Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey in Trump investigation
Federal investigators examining efforts by former President Donald Trump to overturn the 2020 presidential election have reached out to former Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey, according to a spokesperson for Ducey.
"He's been contacted. He's been responsive, and just as he's done since the election, he will do the right thing," said the spokesperson, Daniel Scarpinato. CNN first reported the development.
Ducey, a Republican, was governor during Trump's alleged efforts to reverse the results of the election, which he lost. During a live broadcast on Nov. 30, 2020, in which Ducey certified the state's results, he was interrupted briefly when his phone rang and he could be seen on camera silencing it. His ring tone of "Hail to the Chief" could be heard, and Ducey later confirmed it was a call from Trump.
He said at the time that Trump never asked him not to sign the certification, according to the Associated Press.
Former Vice President Mike Pence told "Face the Nation" earlier this month that he also called Ducey following the 2020 elections.
"I did check in, with not only Gov. Ducey, but other governors and states that were going through the legal process of reviewing their election results," Pence said. "But there was no pressure involved … I was calling to get an update. I passed along that information to the president. It was no more, no less, than that."
When asked if he had been pressured by Trump to push Ducey to change the election results in Arizona, Pence said no.
Ducey's responsiveness to investigators for special counsel Jack Smith comes amid increasing signs that Trump may be indicted in the probe. On Tuesday, Trump revealed that he received a letter from the Justice Department identifying him as a target in the criminal investigation.
The target letter highlights three federal statutes, according to a senior Trump source. Two of the statutes include potential charges of conspiracy to commit an offense or to defraud the U.S., and deprivation of rights under color of law. The third indicates potential charges ranging from obstruction of an official proceeding to tampering with a witness, victim or an informant. Hundreds of defendants in the Justice Department's probe into the Jan. 6 Capitol attack have faced the obstruction-related charge.
Trump said he was given the opportunity to testify before a federal grand jury. He repeated his claim that the special counsel is engaged in a "witch hunt" and criticized the investigation as a "complete and total political weaponization of law enforcement."
Trump has levied similar claims against prosecutors in two other cases for which he's been indicted, in New York and Florida, as well as an investigation in Georgia, where he may soon also face charges.
In the New York case, Trump entered a not guilty plea on April 4 to 34 state felony counts of falsification of business records related to an alleged "hush money" payment made to an adult film star days before the 2016 presidential election.
In the Florida case, which was brought by Smith's office, Trump entered a not guilty plea on June 13 to 37 federal felony counts related to alleged "willful retention" of national security information after Trump left the White House.
In Georgia, the Fulton County district attorney has indicated that Trump and others in his orbit may soon be charged in connection with their alleged efforts to overturn the state's 2020 presidential election.