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The U.S. Justice Department has made two recent moves in its investigation of former president Donald Trump, by agreeing to one of his picks for special master while also issuing a large number of subpoenas to Trump associates.

The U.S. Justice Department on Monday said it would support Raymond Dearie, a candidate backed by former President Donald Trump, for the role of independent arbiter, known as a special master, to examine the contents of classified documents seized by the FBI from Trump‘s Florida estate last month.

It backed either of its own two candidates or Dearie, it said in a court filing but rejected a second Trump pick, Paul Huck.

Also Monday, the New York Times reported that the U.S. Justice Department issued about 40 subpoenas over the past week seeking information about efforts by former President Donald Trump and his allies to overturn the 2020 election.

Boris Epshteyn, a longtime Trump adviser, and Mike Roman, a campaign strategist for Trump, had their phones seized last week as evidence, the Times said, citing people familiar with the situation.

Dan Scavino, Trump‘s former social media director, was also among those who were subpoenaed, according to the paper, which said the group included low-level aides as well as senior advisers.

An attorney for Scavino, Stanley Woodward, declined to comment. Reuters was unable to contact Roman and Epshteyn.

The subpoenas seek information on a failed bid by Trump and his allies to overturn the results of the 2020 election by submitting alternative slates of fake electors.

The inquiry is also looking into the Jan. 6, 2021 riot.

Some of the subpoenas also seek information on Trump‘s Save America political fundraising group, which the Times said was a new line of inquiry by the Justice Department.

Copyright 2022 Thomson/Reuters (edited for FISM News by Michael Cardinal)