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- The Fulton County prosecutor is seriously considering opening a criminal investigation into President Donald Trump, according to the New York Times.
- This follows calls from a watchdog group and Democratic lawmakers to investigate Trump for interference in the 2020 election.
- The only Democrat on the Georgia state board of elections is calling for an investigation to be launched by February 10, the Washington Post reported.
- The investigation would focus primarily on Trump’s phone call with Brad Raffensperger, in which he asked the Secretary of State to “ find ” 11,780 votes.
- Trump, who would consider forgiving himself, would not be protected from state prosecution.
- Visit the Business Insider homepage for more stories.
Prosecutors in Georgia are getting closer to opening a criminal investigation into President Donald Trump, according to the New York Times.
New Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis is seriously considering launching a formal investigation into Trump’s attempt to overturn the 2020 election results, the newspaper reported.
Willis also deliberated on whether to hire a special assistant to oversee the investigation, sources told The Times.
Calls for Trump to be investigated come from Democratic watchdog groups and lawmakers.
Read more: Trump’s incitement to the deadly riot on the U.S. Capitol adds to an already massive tsunami of legal peril he faces as he leaves the White House. Here is what awaits him.
Earlier this month, the only Democrat on Georgia State Election Council, David Worley, called on Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger to look into Trump’s controversial hour-long phone call, according to the Washington Post.
Worley referred to a Georgia state code that prohibits soliciting anyone to commit election fraud, the newspaper reported. Violation of ยง 21-2-604 is punishable by three years in prison.
In Trump’s appeal, obtained by The Post, the president urged Raffensperger to “ find ” 11,780 votes to secure a victory over President-elect Joe Biden. This request was rejected.
Since Worley’s request, Raffensperger has noted a potential conflict of interest in his investigation of the conversation. He told ABC News that Fulton County would be a “more suitable place” for a criminal investigation.
Worley has since warned that if the Fulton County District Attorney did not announce an investigation into the phone call before the date of the state’s next Electoral Board meeting, he would bring a motion to refer him to his office, according to the New York Times.
The next meeting is scheduled for February 10, 2021.
If the motion does not result in an official dismissal, Worley told the newspaper he would contact Willis himself and urge him to open an investigation.
Some legal experts believe Trump’s phone call could have violated both state and federal law, according to Slate.
Read more: Secret Service protection would follow Trump if he went to jail, former agents say.
Trump has been reported to consider forgiving himself before stepping down – but these efforts may not fully protect him.
Federal pardons do not apply to state lawsuits. Trump therefore risks being charged with offenses that go beyond his power to forgive.
Trump is already facing criminal investigations by New York Attorney General Letitia James and Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance. These two cases also go beyond the scope of a presidential pardon.
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