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Lindsey Graham bid to quash subpoena in Trump Georgia election investigation denied


U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) speaks during the Senate Judiciary Committee confirmation hearing on Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson’s nomination to the United States Supreme Court, on Capitol Hill in Washington, United States, March 22, 2022.

Jonathan Ernst | Reuters

A federal judge on Monday rejected Sen. Lindsey Graham’s attempt to subpoena him for his testimony before a special grand jury in Fulton County, Georgia, as part of a hearing. investigating possible criminal election interference by the former President. Donald Trump and his allies in 2020.

The court rejected Graham’s suggestion that the subpoena should be dropped because of his status as a senior government official, among other arguments. The subpoena requires the South Carolina Republican, who is a witness in the investigation, to appear before a grand jury by August 23.

District Attorney Fani Willis, who is conducting the investigation, “revealed the unusual circumstances and exceptional need for Senator Graham’s testimony” about “alleged attempts to influence or disrupt” Georgia’s election, Judge Leigh Martin May wrote in the order Monday in US District Court in South Carolina.

Graham’s attorneys are reviewing the ruling, their spokeswoman, Beth Huffman of law firm Nelson Mullins told CNBC. A spokesperson for Graham’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The district attorney wants to question Graham about phone calls he made to Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger in the weeks following the November 2020 election. Graham’s attorneys argued that the calls were made by a senator. Incumbent congressman of the United States is “legislative fact-finding”, and as such is protected by the Speech and Debate Clause of the Constitution.

But that argument failed against May, who ruled that even if that provision protected Graham from testifying about calls to Raffensperger, he could still be questioned about other matters related to the call. investigate.

“The mere possibility that certain lines of investigation may involve Senator Graham’s immunity under the Statement or Argument Clause does not justify the total dismissal of the subpoena because there are many areas The investigative area is clearly not of a legislative nature,” May ruled.

Trump called Raffensperger on January 2, 2021, four days before Congress convened to confirm Biden’s election victory.

During that call, Trump urged Raffensperger to “find” him enough votes to overturn Biden’s victory in Georgia.

“All I want to do is this: I just want to find 11,780 votes,” Trump told him.



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