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Donald Trump’s pressure on Georgia official to “find” over 11K votes to overturn valid election could result in criminal prosecution

Donald Trump

ATLANTA, GEORGIA – Donald Trump wasn’t supposed to lose an election in “red” Georgia, but his shock, dismay and wild phone call to an election official in an on-going quest to find thousands of votes and overturn the will of the voters could bring criminal charges for the outgoing-President.

Donald Trump lost Georgia to Joe Biden, 2,473,633 to 2,461,854 – a difference of 11,779 votes. Election officials in that state, mostly Republicans, upheld the outcome. Trump tried to overturn the results in court but withdrew the lawsuits. He also pressured Republican elected officials such as  Governor Brian Kemp and secretary of state Brad Raffensperger as he disparaged those in charge of the election for weeks on end.

According to the New York Times, “the pressure campaign culminated in a Jan. 2 call by Mr. Trump to Mr. Raffensperger. ‘I just want to find 11,780 votes,’ Trump said on the call, during which Raffensperger and his aides dismissed the president’s baseless claims of fraud.”

In response to Trump’s behavior and actions, newly-elected Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis released a statement this month, saying:

Fani Willis, Fulton County District Attorney

“Like many Americans, I have found the news reports about the President’s telephone call with the Georgia Secretary of State disturbing. It is my understanding from news reports that a member of the State Election Board has requested that the Secretary’s Elections Division investigate the call, after which the Board can refer the case to my office and the state Attorney General. As I promised Fulton County voters last year, as District Attorney, I will enforce the law without fear or favor. Anyone who commits a felony violation of Georgia law in my jurisdiction will be held accountable. Once the investigation is complete, this matter, like all matters, will be handled by our office based on the facts and the law.”

Raffensperger has appeared to be appalled at the President’s attacks as well as the phone call. He has tweeted, “Respectfully, President Trump: What you’re saying is not true. The truth will come out.” After Trump retreated in court, Raffensperger released a statement on January 7, 2021:

“On the eve of getting the day in court they supposedly were begging for, President Trump and Chairman David Shafer’s legal team folded Thursday and voluntarily dismissed their election contests against Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger rather than submit their evidence to a court and to cross-examination. However, even in capitulation, they continue to spread disinformation.

The President’s legal team falsely characterizes the dismissal of their lawsuits as ‘due to an out of court settlement agreement.’ However, correspondence sent to Trumps legal team prior to the dismissals makes perfectly clear that there is no settlement agreement. The Trump legal voluntarily dismissed their lawsuits rather than presenting their evidence in court in a trial scheduled for tomorrow in front of Cobb County Superior Court Judge Adele Grubbs.

‘Rather than presenting their evidence and witnesses to a court and to cross-examination under oath, the Trump campaign wisely decided the smartest course was to dismiss their frivolous cases.’ Raffensperger said.

The withdrawals came after Secretary Raffensperger sent a letter to Congress on Wednesday containing point-by-point refutation of the false claims made by the President and his allies. Late last night, Congress accepted Georgia’s slate of electors without objection, as no Senator joined in Congressman Jody Hice’s objection to Georgia’s electors.

‘Spreading disinformation about elections is dangerous and wrong,’ said Secretary Raffensperger. ‘It was wrong when Stacey Abrams and her allies made false claims about Georgia’s election processes following the 2018 election and run-up to the 2020 election. and its wrong when the President and his allies are doing it now.’
The President’s lawyers also voluntarily dismissed three other lawsuits against Raffensperger in various courts rather than submit to certain repudiation:

• Trump v. Kemp in the U.S District Court for the Northern District of Georgia.
• Still v. Raffensperger et al in the Superior Court of Fulton County and
• Boland v. Raffensperger et al in the Supreme Court of Georgia.

Those dismissals were not pursuant to a settlement agreement either.”

Donald Trump may attempt to pardon himself for crimes he may have committed. His pardon would only apply to federal crimes. State crimes are outside a President’s pardon powers.

More on this developing story in the weeks and months ahead as Trump leaves office this week.

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