A Fulton County, Georgia prosecutor has launched a criminal investigation into the January call former president Donald Trump placed to Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger.
During the call, which Raffensperger recorded, Trump asked the state official to “find” more than 11,000 votes in order to claim victory in Georgia.
According to a report by CNBC, District Attorney Fani Willis wrote a letter to Raffesnger and other state government leaders on Wednesday (February 10) to let them know her office will start to request subpoenas beginning in March.
“[T]his matter is of high priority,” Willis wrote, as reported by the outlet. Willis also asked that officials save documents related to the call.
The letter also specifies that the probe “includes, but is not limited to, potential violations of Georgia law prohibiting the solicitation of election fraud, the making of false statements to state and local government bodies, conspiracy, racketeering, violation of office and any involvement in violence or threats related to the election’s administration.”
Willis’ investigation comes just two days after Raffensperger’s office launched its own investigation, and as the US Senate conducts the second impeachment trial of Donald Trump for his involvement in inciting the insurrection at the Capitol on January 6, four days after he placed the call to Raffensperger.
The trial, which is receiving national news coverage, is a mark for American democratic elections, as well as Black voters and voters of color across the country whose record turnout became a touchstone for baseless fraud claims in the immediate aftermath of the election.
Following November’s election, and the series of failed legal pursuits by Trump and his reelection campaign attorneys, several states legislatures have moved to change voting laws to limit mail-in voting, polling locations, and ballot drop boxes, all of which were attributed to record turnout by voters, especially Democratic voters in swing states like Georgia, Pennsylvania.
These newly proposed policies mirror the ripple effect of Trump’s administration and failed attempt to overturn the election, that many marginalized individuals and communities will be left to fight against beyond Trump’s departure from the White House.
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