- The Fulton County District Attorney is seriously considering launching a criminal investigation into President Donald Trump, according to The New York Times.
- This follows a call by a watchdog group and Democratic lawmakers to have Trump investigated for interference in the 2020 election.
- The only Democrat in Georgia’s state election council is demanding that an investigation be announced before February 10, reports The Washington Post.
- The investigation would focus primarily on Trump’s call with Brad Raffensperger, in which he asked the Secretary of State to find 11,780 votes.
- Trump, who is allegedly considering forgiving himself, will not be protected from a state prosecution.
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Prosecutors in Georgia are moving closer to opening a criminal investigation into President Donald Trump, according to The New York Times.
Fulton County New District Attorney Fani Willis is seriously considering whether to launch an official investigation into Trump’s attempt to overthrow the outcome of the 2020 election, the newspaper reported.
Willis was also considering whether to appoint a special assistant to oversee the investigation, sources told the Times.
The calls to investigate Trump come from watchdog groups and Democratic lawmakers.
Read more: Trump’s incitement to death in the US Capitol riots contributes to an already massive tsunami of legal danger he faces as he leaves the White House. This is what awaits him.
Earlier this month, the only Democrat in Georgia’s state election council, David Worley, called on Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger to investigate Trump’s controversial hourly call, according to The Washington Post.
Worley was referring to a Georgia state code that makes it illegal to ask someone to commit fraud, the newspaper reported. Violation of § 21-2-604 is punishable by up to three years in prison.
In Trump’s call, obtained by the Post, President Raffensperger urged 11 ‘780 votes to be’ found ‘to secure a victory over President-elect Joe Biden. This request was denied.
Since Worley’s request, Raffensperger has taken note of a possible conflict of interest that he is investigating the conversation. He told ABC News that Fulton County would be a more suitable place to conduct a criminal investigation.
Worley has since warned that if the Fulton County District Attorney did not announce an investigation into the call against the next state election board meeting, he would send a motion, according to the New York Times, to refer it to her office. .
The next meeting is scheduled for February 10, 2021.
If the motion did not result in an official reference, Worley told the newspaper he would contact Willis himself and request her to investigate.
Some legal experts believe that Trump’s phone call violated state law as well as federal law.
Read more: Secret service protection will follow Trump if he goes to jail, former agents say.
Trump has reportedly considered forgiving himself before leaving office – but these efforts may not fully protect him.
Federal waiver does not apply to state prosecution. Trump therefore runs the risk of being charged with crimes that go beyond his power of forgiveness.
Trump is already facing criminal investigations brought by New York Attorney General Letitia James and District Attorney Cyrus Vance in Manhattan. Both of these issues also go beyond the reach of a presidential pardon.