FBI sought to interview top election official in Wisconsin's Milwaukee County

Washington — The FBI attempted to interrogation the manager of elections successful Milwaukee County, Wisconsin, the region clerk's bureau said successful a connection Thursday morning. 

George Christenson, the region clerk, said an FBI cause visited the location of the county's elections manager and near a concern card.

"It is unfortunate that the FBI chose to sojourn the backstage residence of Milwaukee County's Elections Director alternatively than interaction the Election Commission's bureau directly. No dedicated nationalist servant should beryllium subjected to that benignant of intrusion simply for carrying retired her responsibilities with integrity and professionalism," Christenson said, adding the region would beryllium "following up to find the quality of this visit."

Milwaukee County is Wisconsin's astir populous region and location to the metropolis of the aforesaid name. Joe Biden captured nearly 70% of the 459,723 votes formed determination successful the 2020 election, and won the authorities wide by conscionable implicit 20,000 votes. In December 2020, the Trump run unsuccessfully sued, seeking to disqualify implicit 200,000 ballots successful Milwaukee and Dane Counties.

Election officials perceive arsenic procedural issues are argued during a ballot recount astatine the Wisconsin Center successful Milwaukee, Wisconsin, connected Nov. 20, 2020. Scott Olson / Getty Images

Christenson defended the county's predetermination processes successful his statement.

"The 2020 Presidential Election was just and transparent, and its results are accurate. This has been proven repeatedly implicit the past six years by the post-election canvass, the Presidential Election Recount, State court-based challenge, Federal court-based challenge, the forensic audit by the Wisconsin's Legislative Audit Bureau, and 2 further autarkic audits. Continuing to relitigate settled questions does not fortify nationalist assurance successful elections but it undermines it," helium said. 

The clerk added that the region would cooperate with "all legitimate" instrumentality enforcement activity, but volition "defend against immoderate onslaught connected our ideology and volition support the rights of voters of Milwaukee County."

The FBI did not instantly respond to a petition for comment. 

The now-confirmed probe successful Milwaukee adds to the unit run the Trump medication launched against plaything states and officials who ran elections successful localities that President Trump mislaid successful 2020. Federal officials are besides examining predetermination worldly from Fulton County, Georgia, and Wayne County, Michigan.

Katrina Kaufman contributed to this report.