 "Trump election probe grand jury hears from Georgia official Raffensperger")
Georgia's top elections official appeared Thursday before a special grand jury investigating whether former President Donald Trump and others illegally tried to meddle in the 2020 election in the state.
Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger was summoned to the Fulton County courthouse where the special grand jury has been meeting, according to a subpoena obtained by The Associated Press through an open records request. Other subpoenas seek documents and testimony from five other people in his office.
Raffensperger arrived at the courthouse in downtown Atlanta on Thursday morning. When a reporter asked how the day would go, Raffensperger replied hopefully short" as he walked up the steps. That wasn't the case, though. Raffensperger left after more than five hours by another exit, avoiding reporters. It's unclear if Raffensperger's testimony concluded Thursday or if he will be called back.
Trump directed his ire at his fellow Republican after Raffensperger refused to bend to pressure to overturn the votes that gave Democrat Joe Biden a narrow presidential election victory in Georgia. Raffensperger defeated a Trump-endorsed challenger in last month's Republican primary.
Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis said her investigation includes looking into a January 2021 phone call in which Trump pushed Raffensperger to find the votes needed for him to win Georgia. Trump has said his call with Raffensperger was perfect and that he did nothing wrong.
Tricia Raffensperger, the secretary's wife, also testified Thursday, leaving the courthouse after less than an hour. She was present with Raffensperger when he received the Trump phone call. Tricia Raffensperger received death threats during the period after the 2020 election.
Raffensperger wrote in his 2021 book Integrity Counts that he perceived Trump as threatening him multiple times during the phone call, a question that could ultimately be critical to whether some criminal charges could be brought. Raffensperger reiterated in an interview aired Wednesday by WAGA-TV that he felt pressured.
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I heard what the president said. And I understand that he has tremendous positional power, Raffensperger told the television station. But I also know that we followed the law and we followed the Constitution.
A Trump spokesman dismissed the Fulton investigation as a politically motivated witch hunt when it became public last February. A number of others have been subpoenaed, including five other people associated with Raffensperger's office. State Attorney General Chris Carr has received a subpoena to appear June 21.
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