Lindsey Graham ‘shocked’ by grand jury’s indictment recommendation.
Sen. Lindsey Graham Surprised by Grand Jury Recommendation
Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) expressed his surprise when a special grand jury recommended that he face charges related to attempts by former President Donald Trump and his associates to subvert the 2020 election in Georgia. However, Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis ultimately decided not to charge Graham, despite indicting Trump and 18 others last month.
Graham, speaking to reporters in his home state, emphasized that his actions were in line with his role as a U.S. senator and chair of the Judiciary Committee. He expressed concern about the legal system being used as a political tool and stated, “I think the system in this country is getting off the rails, and we have to be careful not to use the legal system as a political tool.”
The senator admitted that he did not read the full grand jury report but was taken aback by the recommendation for his prosecution. He clarified that he had no further communication with the jury members after a two-hour conversation in November of last year.
Graham asserted, “It’s over for me. I was totally surprised… I never suggested anybody set aside the election. I never said, ‘Go find votes.’ I never said anything other than trying to find how the mail-in balloting system worked.”
Testimony and Beliefs
When asked about his testimony before the special grand jury, Graham revealed that he was questioned about a phone call he made to Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger after the 2020 election. He was asked whether he believed the election was stolen at the time of the call. Graham responded, “I didn’t know… the state of play of the fraud allegations” at that time.
Graham also expressed his belief that Trump will likely be the nominee for the 2024 election against President Joe Biden. He pledged his support for Trump if he receives the nomination. It is worth noting that Graham previously fought the subpoena by the special grand jury all the way to the Supreme Court, but his request was ultimately rejected on Nov. 1.
The Special Grand Jury Investigation
The 26-member special grand jury, separate from the one that indicted Trump and his associates, spent approximately seven months gathering testimony from over 75 witnesses as part of their investigation.
Trump and 18 other associates, including former attorneys, former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows, and former Justice Department official Jeffery Clark, were indicted last month in a 41-count racketeering case. The indictment alleges that they conspired to overturn the results of the election in Georgia. The focus of the indictment is a separate post-election call to Raffensperger, during which Trump urged him to “find” a specific number of votes needed to win the state’s election.
A trial for up to three co-defendants who invoked their speedy trial rights could begin as early as Oct. 23. A judge will decide next week whether the other defendants, including Trump, will face trial at a later date, possibly in early March.
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