Lindsey Graham Must Answer Grand Jury Questions But Judge Limits Scope Of Testimony

“(T)he Court quashes the subpoena only for questions about Senator Graham’s investigative findings into his phone calls with Georgia election officials, including how that information relates to his decision to certify the results of the presidential election. of 2020,” May wrote in her decision on Thursday. “The Court finds that this area of ​​inquiry falls within the protection of the Speech or Debate Clause, which prohibits questions about legislative activity.” One of the calls of particular interest to Willis is a call Graham made to Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger when — according to Raffensperger — Graham implied that Raffensperger should reject some of her ballots. Georgia during state control. May wrote that “Graham may be questioned about any alleged attempts to encourage Secretary Raffensperger or others to throw away ballots or otherwise change Georgia’s election practices and procedures.” “The Court finds no support for the proposition that Senator Graham’s position or responsibilities as a United States Senator gave him the right to urge or pressure Georgia state election officials about how they should change or administer otherwise their state’s election laws and procedures,” the judge concluded. .
Willis told the court that Graham’s actions appeared intertwined with the former president and that the Judiciary Committee needed to hear from the senator specifically about at least two phone calls he made to Raffensperger and his staff in the wake of the 2020 election.
Raffensperger, Georgia’s top election official who is up for re-election this November, was the first witness to testify before the special grand jury in May. He told CNN in November 2020 that the South Carolina senator — who was then chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee — hinted that Raffensperger should try to throw out some Georgia ballots during a statewide audit. the state.
“He asked if the ballots could be matched with the voters,” Raffensperger told CNN’s Wolf Blitzer on “The Situation Room” days after the 2020 election. “And then — I realized you could throw them away for any, if you look at the counties with the highest frequency of signature error. That’s my impression.”
“It was just an implication of ‘Look closely and see how many ballots you could throw away,’” Raffensperger added.
Graham has repeatedly denied allegations of lobbying Georgia officials, and the senator and his lawyers say he was just doing his job as a congressman after the election. May’s Thursday order now sends the case back from its court to be heard once again by a three-judge panel of the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals.

title: “Lindsey Graham Must Answer Grand Jury Questions But Judge Limits Scope Of Testimony Klmat” ShowToc: true date: “2022-12-13” author: “Mark Gutierrez”

“(T)he Court quashes the subpoena only for questions about Senator Graham’s investigative findings into his phone calls with Georgia election officials, including how that information relates to his decision to certify the results of the presidential election. of 2020,” May wrote in her decision on Thursday. “The Court finds that this area of ​​inquiry falls within the protection of the Speech or Debate Clause, which prohibits questions about legislative activity.” One of the calls of particular interest to Willis is a call Graham made to Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger when — according to Raffensperger — Graham implied that Raffensperger should reject some of her ballots. Georgia during state control. May wrote that “Graham may be questioned about any alleged attempts to encourage Secretary Raffensperger or others to throw away ballots or otherwise change Georgia’s election practices and procedures.” “The Court finds no support for the proposition that Senator Graham’s position or responsibilities as a United States Senator gave him the right to urge or pressure Georgia state election officials about how they should change or administer otherwise their state’s election laws and procedures,” the judge concluded. .
Willis told the court that Graham’s actions appeared intertwined with the former president and that the Judiciary Committee needed to hear from the senator specifically about at least two phone calls he made to Raffensperger and his staff in the wake of the 2020 election.
Raffensperger, Georgia’s top election official who is up for re-election this November, was the first witness to testify before the special grand jury in May. He told CNN in November 2020 that the South Carolina senator — who was then chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee — hinted that Raffensperger should try to throw out some Georgia ballots during a statewide audit. the state.
“He asked if the ballots could be matched with the voters,” Raffensperger told CNN’s Wolf Blitzer on “The Situation Room” days after the 2020 election. “And then — I realized you could throw them away for any, if you look at the counties with the highest frequency of signature error. That’s my impression.”
“It was just an implication of ‘Look closely and see how many ballots you could throw away,’” Raffensperger added.
Graham has repeatedly denied allegations of lobbying Georgia officials, and the senator and his lawyers say he was just doing his job as a congressman after the election. May’s Thursday order now sends the case back from its court to be heard once again by a three-judge panel of the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals.

title: “Lindsey Graham Must Answer Grand Jury Questions But Judge Limits Scope Of Testimony Klmat” ShowToc: true date: “2022-11-24” author: “Lillian Arnot”

“(T)he Court quashes the subpoena only for questions about Senator Graham’s investigative findings into his phone calls with Georgia election officials, including how that information relates to his decision to certify the results of the presidential election. of 2020,” May wrote in her decision on Thursday. “The Court finds that this area of ​​inquiry falls within the protection of the Speech or Debate Clause, which prohibits questions about legislative activity.” One of the calls of particular interest to Willis is a call Graham made to Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger when — according to Raffensperger — Graham implied that Raffensperger should reject some of her ballots. Georgia during state control. May wrote that “Graham may be questioned about any alleged attempts to encourage Secretary Raffensperger or others to throw away ballots or otherwise change Georgia’s election practices and procedures.” “The Court finds no support for the proposition that Senator Graham’s position or responsibilities as a United States Senator gave him the right to urge or pressure Georgia state election officials about how they should change or administer otherwise their state’s election laws and procedures,” the judge concluded. .
Willis told the court that Graham’s actions appeared intertwined with the former president and that the Judiciary Committee needed to hear from the senator specifically about at least two phone calls he made to Raffensperger and his staff in the wake of the 2020 election.
Raffensperger, Georgia’s top election official who is up for re-election this November, was the first witness to testify before the special grand jury in May. He told CNN in November 2020 that the South Carolina senator — who was then chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee — hinted that Raffensperger should try to throw out some Georgia ballots during a statewide audit. the state.
“He asked if the ballots could be matched with the voters,” Raffensperger told CNN’s Wolf Blitzer on “The Situation Room” days after the 2020 election. “And then — I realized you could throw them away for any, if you look at the counties with the highest frequency of signature error. That’s my impression.”
“It was just an implication of ‘Look closely and see how many ballots you could throw away,’” Raffensperger added.
Graham has repeatedly denied allegations of lobbying Georgia officials, and the senator and his lawyers say he was just doing his job as a congressman after the election. May’s Thursday order now sends the case back from its court to be heard once again by a three-judge panel of the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals.

title: “Lindsey Graham Must Answer Grand Jury Questions But Judge Limits Scope Of Testimony Klmat” ShowToc: true date: “2022-11-07” author: “Ann Carver”

“(T)he Court quashes the subpoena only for questions about Senator Graham’s investigative findings into his phone calls with Georgia election officials, including how that information relates to his decision to certify the results of the presidential election. of 2020,” May wrote in her decision on Thursday. “The Court finds that this area of ​​inquiry falls within the protection of the Speech or Debate Clause, which prohibits questions about legislative activity.” One of the calls of particular interest to Willis is a call Graham made to Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger when — according to Raffensperger — Graham implied that Raffensperger should reject some of her ballots. Georgia during state control. May wrote that “Graham may be questioned about any alleged attempts to encourage Secretary Raffensperger or others to throw away ballots or otherwise change Georgia’s election practices and procedures.” “The Court finds no support for the proposition that Senator Graham’s position or responsibilities as a United States Senator gave him the right to urge or pressure Georgia state election officials about how they should change or administer otherwise their state’s election laws and procedures,” the judge concluded. .
Willis told the court that Graham’s actions appeared intertwined with the former president and that the Judiciary Committee needed to hear from the senator specifically about at least two phone calls he made to Raffensperger and his staff in the wake of the 2020 election.
Raffensperger, Georgia’s top election official who is up for re-election this November, was the first witness to testify before the special grand jury in May. He told CNN in November 2020 that the South Carolina senator — who was then chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee — hinted that Raffensperger should try to throw out some Georgia ballots during a statewide audit. the state.
“He asked if the ballots could be matched with the voters,” Raffensperger told CNN’s Wolf Blitzer on “The Situation Room” days after the 2020 election. “And then — I realized you could throw them away for any, if you look at the counties with the highest frequency of signature error. That’s my impression.”
“It was just an implication of ‘Look closely and see how many ballots you could throw away,’” Raffensperger added.
Graham has repeatedly denied allegations of lobbying Georgia officials, and the senator and his lawyers say he was just doing his job as a congressman after the election. May’s Thursday order now sends the case back from its court to be heard once again by a three-judge panel of the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals.