Georgia launches criminal probe into Trump’s election phone call

Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger gives an update on the state of the election and ballot count during a news conference at the State Capitol in Atlanta, Georgia, U.S., November 6, 2020. REUTERS/Dustin Chambers/File Photo/File

WASHINGTON – Prosecutors in Fulton County, Georgia, are investigating Donald Trump’s attempts to overturn the Southern state’s 2020 presidential election results, according to a letter seen by Reuters on Wednesday, in the second criminal probe faced by the former president.

Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis has sent a letter asking state government officials to preserve documents, including those related to then-President Trump’s call to Republican Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger pressuring him to “find” more votes.

“This matter is of high priority, and I am confident that as fellow law enforcement officers sworn to uphold the Constitutions of the United States and Georgia, our acquisition of information and evidence of potential crimes via interviews, documents, videos and electronic records will be cooperative,” said the letter dated Feb. 10.

“This letter is notification that all records potentially related to the administration of the 2020 General Election must be preserved, with particular care being given to set aside and preserve those that may be evidence of attempts to influence the actions of persons who were administering that election.”

Representatives for the county prosecutor’s office and for Trump did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

On Monday, Raffensperger’s office opened its own probe into Trump’s Jan. 2 phone call pressuring him to overturn Democrat Joe Biden’s Nov. 3 victory in the state based on unfounded voter fraud claims, saying any further legal efforts would be up to the state’s attorney general.

New York prosecutors have also opened criminal and civil investigations into Trump over his businesses.

The New York Times first reported the investigation. Fulton County includes Atlanta, Georgia’s state capital.