Seven of Trump's associates subpoenaed in Georgia grand jury election probe
Seven of Donald Trump's top allies have been subpoenaed in a criminal investigation into his efforts to overturn the election.
The seven will be called to testify before a grand jury in Atlanta, Georgia, as part of Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis' probe.
The subpoenaed individuals include several of Trump's legal advisers and campaign staff, including Rudy Giuliani, as well as Senator Lindsey Graham.
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Seven of Donald Trump's associates have been subpoenaed by a Georgia grand jury. AP
The investigation was sparked by a phone call Trump made to Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger after election day 2020.
In the phone call, recorded by Raffensperger, the then-president pressed him to overturn the election results in the state.
"The people of Georgia are angry, the people in the country are angry. And there's nothing wrong with saying that, you know, um, that you've recalculated," Trump said at the time.
"All I want to do is this. I just want to find 11,780 votes, which is one more than we have. Because we won the state."
The grand jury investigation is reviewing whether Trump or any of his associates committed crimes like the solicitation of election fraud, making false statements, conspiracy, racketeering and threats related to election administration.
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Rudy Giuliani has been subpoenaed to appear before a Georgia grand jury. AP
Any of those crimes could result in serious prison time in the state.
Giuliani's subpoena described how the former New York mayor touted an accusation that unlawful ballots were brought into an Atlanta counting centre State Farm Arena in suitcases.
The conspiracy theory was quickly debunked.
"Despite this, the witness made additional statements, both to the public and in subsequent legislative hearings, claiming widespread voter fraud in Georgia during the November 2020 election and using the now-debunked State Farm video in support of those statements," the subpoena read.
"There is evidence that the witness's appearance and testimony at the hearing was part of a multi-state, coordinated plan by the Trump Campaign to influence the results of the November 2020 election in Georgia and elsewhere."
Giuliani's false testimony in Georgia was a factor in his law licence being suspended in New York.
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Lindsey Graham has been one of Donald Trump's most ardent supporters in Congress. AP
The full list of subpoenaed Trump associates are Rudy Giuliani, John Eastman, Cleta Mitchell, Kenneth Chesebro, Jenna Ellis, Jacki Pick Deason and Lindsey Graham.
The grand jury does not have the power to indict individuals, but is used to gather information ahead of potential criminal charges.
Trump is also facing criminal and civil probes in New York.
It is also possible Trump will be charged criminally in federal court after the January 6 committee in Congress wraps up its investigation.
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