A special grand jury, tasked with investigating former US President Donald Trump’s attempts to overturn the 2020 election results in Georgia, has recommended criminal charges against influential Senator Lindsey Graham, among others, according to the panel’s final report. The report, released in full following a judge’s order, also called on Georgia prosecutors to indict ex-White House National Security Adviser Michael Flynn and two former United States senators from the state, David Perdue and Kelly Loeffler.
It’s important to note that the grand jury’s recommendations were not binding, and Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis, who led the investigation into 2020 election interference in Georgia, ultimately did not charge Graham, Flynn, Perdue, or Loeffler. Last month, Willis filed criminal indictments against Trump and 18 others, including the ex-president’s lawyers, allies, and associates, on accusations they joined a conspiracy to “unlawfully change the outcome” of the 2020 vote in Georgia. All the defendants have pleaded not guilty.
The report released on Friday did not provide specific reasons for the grand jury’s recommendations but listed dozens of individuals who should be charged in connection with efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election. The grand jury, composed of 26 Atlanta-area residents, had the power to subpoena witnesses and documents and conducted interviews with 75 witnesses over several months in the previous year.
Graham, a prominent Trump ally, testified before the grand jury in November 2022. However, his office did not immediately respond to requests for comment regarding the report. Trump, who remains the leading candidate for the Republican Party’s 2024 presidential nomination, was not subpoenaed and did not testify before the grand jury.
Fani Willis initiated the investigation following Trump’s call to Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger in January 2021, during which he urged Raffensperger to “find” enough votes to secure him a victory in the state, which he had lost to President Joe Biden.
The Georgia case represents the second indictment accusing Trump of election interference and the fourth set of criminal charges against him so far in the year. He has consistently pleaded not guilty and denied any wrongdoing in all the cases, alleging that they are attempts to undermine his re-election campaign.
