- Georgia’s Secretary of State is opening an investigation into a call made by former President Donald Trump.
- On the call, Trump put pressure on state election officials to “find votes” and “find more fraud.”
- Georgia Worcester Democrat David Worley told Reuters the investigation could precede criminal charges.
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Georgia’s Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger has opened an investigation into former President Donald Trump’s efforts to put Georgia’s government officials under pressure to undo legitimate election results, Reuters reports.
Raffensperger’s office said the investigation was “factual and administrative in nature,” and that findings would be referred to the Republican majority council of the election.
The investigation deals with a call that Trump made to Raffensperger in January, where he demands that the civil servant “find 11 780 votes” to help him win Georgia.
During the call, Raffensperger pushed back against Trump’s demands. Electoral officials across Georgia dispute Trump’s claims that the election was fraudulent or unfair.
Once the state has completed its investigation into the call, it can refer findings to the state’s attorney general or elsewhere for prosecution.
“The Foreign Minister’s office is investigating complaints he receives,” Walter Jones, a spokesman for the office, told Reuters in a statement on Monday. “The investigations are factual and administrative in nature. Further legal efforts will be left to the Attorney General.”
The New York Times reported that Fulton County Democratic District Attorney Fani Willis is also considering instituting a criminal investigation into Trump’s actions.
Trump has also repeatedly called Republican Gov. Brian Kemp and put pressure on him, teasing him on Twitter, in an attempt to get Kemp to convene a special legislative session to block the election results.
Georgia Worcester, the only Democrat on the Georgia Electoral Council, told Reuters the administrative inquiry could precede criminal charges.
“Any investigation into a lawful offense is a possible criminal investigation, depending on the law in question,” he said, adding: “The complaint received involved a criminal offense.”
Worley also explained that he would personally initiate a motion during the election council meeting to formally refer the investigation to the district attorney’s office in Fulton County.
Jason Miller, a senior adviser to Trump, told the AP there was “nothing improper or unfavorable to a scheduled call between President Trump, Secretary Raffensperger and lawyers on both sides.”
Insider released the Trump Organization, Georgia’s Secretary of State, and the State Election Council for comment.