federal judge in Georgia rejected Senator Lindsey Graham’s application for avoid testify before Atlantaarea grand jury investigating interference in the 2020 election, dismissing a Trump ally’s claim that he was shielded from such attention by legislative privilege.
U.S. District Judge Lee Martin May ruled that Fulton County District Attorney Fanny Willis “demonstrated extraordinary circumstances and special need for Senator Graham’s testimony on matters relating to alleged attempts to influence or disrupt the legitimate administration of Elections in Georgia 2020”.
The decision of the judge was preceded by another part of bad news for key allies of former President Donald Trump in Georgia Investigation: Counsel for Trump’s personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani said Fulton County prosecutors now treat Giuliani as a “target” of investigation.
Graham, a Republican from South Carolina, argued that in legitimate requests as a legislator under the speech and debate clause of the Constitution when he contacted Georgian officials after the 2020 elections.
Giuliani is now a “target” in Georgia Probe:Rudy Giuliani is now a “target” in Investigation into electoral interference in Georgia
“The Court considers that there are significant areas of potential grand drop in jury investigation outside “Speech or debate clause,” May ruled. “Furthermore, sovereign immunity is not shield Senator Graham from testifying before a Special Purpose Grand Jury.”
The judge, however, left open the prospect that the privilege might apply to some of the questions posed prosecutors working with in grand jury.
“The mere possibility that some lines of the investigation may imply Senator Graham’s immunity under the speech or debate clause does not justify rescission of the subpoena. in completely, because there are significant areas of investigations that are clearly non-legislative in natureMay wrote.
Graham will appeal the decision, according to a statement released on Monday by him. office.
“The article of the Constitution on speeches or debates prevents local official from questioning the senator about how that the senator has done his job,” the statement said. “Here, Senator Graham exercised due diligence before certifying the Vote Count Act. vote – where he voted to certify the election.”
Graham said last week that he would exhaust all legal remedies to defend his position.
“We’ll go as far as need go and do whatever needs to be done to do sure what people like I can do my job without fear of Some district attorney is coming for you,” Graham said.
Graham made at least two phone calls to the Secretary of State of Georgia. of State Brad Raffensperger and members of Staff of Raffensperger in weeks after the November 2020 elections in search of additional review of missing ballots, according to documents submitted to the court in support of request for a subpoena.
More:Senator Lindsey Graham challenges Georgia grand jury subpoena, asserts legislative privilege
“Witness also made link to accusations of widespread voter fraud in elections in November 2020 in Georgia, consecutively with public statements made known affiliates of Trump campaign,” court documents say.
Graham previously denied allegations that he pressured officials to rule out ballots, saying he was trying to understand the method. for who explore different states ballots.
“It’s all politics’ Graham’s lawyers, Bart Daniel and Matt Austin, said in a statement. last month. “Fulton County is engaged in in fishing and work in concert with committee 6 January in Washington”.
Graham challenge comes after the same judge rejected a similar proposal by Georgia Rep. Jody Hayes, who echoed Trump’s allegations of electoral fraud. Hayes also claimed that the speech and debate clause of the Constitution protected him from law enforcement scrutiny related to his work as a legislator.
