Washington — The FBI attempted to interview the director of elections in Milwaukee County, Wisconsin, the county clerk’s office said in a statement Thursday morning.
George Christenson, the county clerk, said an FBI agent visited the home of the county’s elections director and left a business card.
“It is unfortunate that the FBI chose to visit the private residence of Milwaukee County’s Elections Director rather than contact the Election Commission’s office directly. No dedicated public servant should be subjected to that type of intrusion simply for carrying out her responsibilities with integrity and professionalism,” Christenson said, adding the county would be “following up to determine the nature of this visit.”
Milwaukee County is Wisconsin’s most populous county and home to the city of the same name. Joe Biden captured nearly 70% of the 459,723 votes cast there in the 2020 election, and won the state overall by just over 20,000 votes. In December 2020, the Trump campaign unsuccessfully sued, seeking to disqualify over 200,000 ballots in Milwaukee and Dane Counties.
Christenson defended the county’s election processes in his statement.
“The 2020 Presidential Election was fair and transparent, and its results are accurate. This has been proven repeatedly over the last 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 two additional independent audits. Continuing to relitigate settled questions does not strengthen public confidence in elections but it undermines it,” he said.
The clerk added that the county would cooperate with “all legitimate” law enforcement activity, but will “defend against any attack on our democracy and will defend the rights of voters of Milwaukee County.”
The FBI declined to comment. Hawley did not immediately respond to a message seeking comment.
The now-confirmed investigation in Milwaukee adds to the pressure campaign the Trump administration launched against swing states and officials who ran elections in localities that President Trump lost in 2020. Federal officials are also examining election material from Fulton County, Georgia, and Wayne County, Michigan.
contributed to this report.
