Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger said Monday that he has never thought it was appropriate to speak to President Donald Trump about the 2020 election results and that the conversations Trump has had with him and other elections officials could pose a conflict of interest that warrants investigating.

Ultimately, the call happened after White House staff pushed for it, Raffensperger said, adding that he “preferred not to talk to someone when we’re in litigation,” a reference to Trump’s lawsuit against Georgia over the election results.

“We took the call, and we had a conversation. He did most of the talking, we did most of the listening," Raffensperger said. "But I did want to make my points that the data that he has is just plain wrong." “For the last two months, we’ve been fighting the rumor whack-a-mole,” Raffensperger added. “And it was pretty obvious very early on that we debunked every one of those theories that have been out there, but that President Trump continues to believe them.”

Raffensperger received the call Saturday afternoon after the White House switchboard had made 18 attempts to have him speak with Trump over the two months since the general election, according to a Georgia Republican familiar with the call.

Officials in Raffensperger's office recorded the call, and he made clear to his advisers that he did not want a transcript or an audio recording released unless Trump attacked Georgia officials or misrepresented the conversation, according to the Georgia Republican. Before the audio leaked, Trump attacked Raffensperger on Twitter, saying that they had a call and that the secretary of state was "unwilling, or unable" to answer his questions, to which Raffensperger responded, "The truth will come out."

In response to the phone call, whose audio surfaced Sunday, David Worley, a Democratic member of Georgia’s state election board, which Raffensperger chairs, asked him to open an investigation.

Asked if he would do so, Raffenperger said: “I believe that because I had a conversation with the president, also he had a conversation with our chief investigator after we did the signature match audit of Cobb County last week, there may be a conflict of interest, I understand, that the Fulton County district attorney wants to look at. Maybe that’s the appropriate venue for it to go,” Raffensperger said.

Two House Democrats have sent a letter to FBI Director Christopher Wray requesting an investigation into Trump over the call.

As for whether he would vote for Trump again, Raffensperger said he has always supported Republicans and “probably always will,” but that Trump isn’t on the 2024 ballot, “so we’ll just have to wait and see what would happen.”

featureless wrote: Mon Jan 04, 2021 11:55 am Imagine you get the opportunity to have a phone call with a president of the US, and at the president's urging. Now imagine that president is Trump. Poor Raffensperger.

Officials in Raffensperger's office recorded the call, and he made clear to his advisers that he did not want a transcript or an audio recording released unless Trump attacked Georgia officials or misrepresented the conversation, according to the Georgia Republican. Before the audio leaked, Trump attacked Raffensperger on Twitter, saying that they had a call and that the secretary of state was "unwilling, or unable" to answer his questions, to which Raffensperger responded, "The truth will come out."

US Attorney in Atlanta abruptly resigns citing 'unforeseen circumstances'

Citing "unforeseen circumstances," Atlanta-based U.S. Attorney Byung "BJ" Pak announced that he would be resigning effective immediately, Talking Points Memo reported. Pak had said that he intended to stay on until Jan. 20 when U.S. attorneys are typically rehired or dismissed by the incoming administration's attorney general.

It isn't unusual for a U.S. attorney to step down if there are other opportunities before the incoming administration, but it flies in the face of the promise by Pak to stay. The only thing that has changed since his pledge is that President Donald Trump had a phone call with the Georgia secretary of state and demanded that he commit election fraud.

During the call, Trump complained there was a "never-Trumper U.S. attorney" in Atlanta. But the Associated Press noted that "Pak is a longtime Republican who also served in the Georgia House of Representatives from 2011 until 2017. He was nominated by Trump to become the U.S. attorney for the Northern District of Georgia in 2017."

It prompted several legal experts and former federal prosecutors to speculate about the "unforeseen circumstances."

Fordham University Law professor Jed Shugerman tweeted the story, asking if his followers thought that the resignation was a "coincidence."

"Who can bring charges?" asked one of his followers. "It is mind-boggling that Trump can act with such impunity." Shugerman explained that a Georgia state prosecutor would bring such charges. "I can easily foresee the Atlanta area."

Former federal prosecutor Renato Mariotti similarly asked what those "unforeseen circumstances" could possibly be.

I’m “soliciting” your help: Was this just a coincidence? Or a “perfect call” to step down early? EXCLUSIVE: Atlant… https://t.co/hwanP2850X
— Jed Shugerman (@Jed Shugerman)1609783773.0

Fulton County DA prepared to launch criminal probe of Trump's threatening Georgia call

The District Attorney of Georgia's most populous county signaled a willingness on Monday to launch a criminal probe into President Donald Trump.

In a statement posted by NBC News correspondent Blayne Alexander, Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis said her office is ready to investigate Trump over his now-infamous phone call with Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger.

"It is my understanding from news reports that a member of the State Election Board has requested that the Secretary's Elections Division investigate the call, after which the Board can refer the case to my office and the state Attorney General," she said. "Anyone who commits a felony violation of Georgia law in my jurisdiction will be held accountable."

Willis also called Trump's phone call with Raffensperger "disturbing" and vowed that any investigation into the president would be "based on the facts and the law."

In the call, Trump urged Raffensperger to "find" him enough votes to carry the state and to announce that he had "recalculated" the state's voting totals in the president's favor.

Raffensperger, however, refused to go along with the scheme and told the president that he would not alter the election outcome.

Law professor Kim Wehle, of the University of Baltimore, told NPR on Monday that it's "a crime to request, solicit or ask someone else to say falsify returns or falsify reports of votes, and arguably that's what we heard on the call."

TrueTexan wrote: Mon Jan 04, 2021 2:40 pm

US Attorney in Atlanta abruptly resigns citing 'unforeseen circumstances'

Citing "unforeseen circumstances," Atlanta-based U.S. Attorney Byung "BJ" Pak announced that he would be resigning effective immediately, Talking Points Memo reported. Pak had said that he intended to stay on until Jan. 20 when U.S. attorneys are typically rehired or dismissed by the incoming administration's attorney general.

It isn't unusual for a U.S. attorney to step down if there are other opportunities before the incoming administration, but it flies in the face of the promise by Pak to stay. The only thing that has changed since his pledge is that President Donald Trump had a phone call with the Georgia secretary of state and demanded that he commit election fraud.

During the call, Trump complained there was a "never-Trumper U.S. attorney" in Atlanta. But the Associated Press noted that "Pak is a longtime Republican who also served in the Georgia House of Representatives from 2011 until 2017. He was nominated by Trump to become the U.S. attorney for the Northern District of Georgia in 2017."

It prompted several legal experts and former federal prosecutors to speculate about the "unforeseen circumstances."

Fordham University Law professor Jed Shugerman tweeted the story, asking if his followers thought that the resignation was a "coincidence."

"Who can bring charges?" asked one of his followers. "It is mind-boggling that Trump can act with such impunity." Shugerman explained that a Georgia state prosecutor would bring such charges. "I can easily foresee the Atlanta area."

Former federal prosecutor Renato Mariotti similarly asked what those "unforeseen circumstances" could possibly be.

I’m “soliciting” your help: Was this just a coincidence? Or a “perfect call” to step down early? EXCLUSIVE: Atlant… https://t.co/hwanP2850X
— Jed Shugerman (@Jed Shugerman)1609783773.0

https://www.rawstory.com/georgia-feder ... tor-quits/

“ unforeseen circumstances" could be a threat of physical damage if he looks into this case?

Wino wrote: Mon Jan 04, 2021 3:10 pm Another republican "Profile in Courage" - gutless bunch of sycophant suckasses.

K9s wrote: Mon Jan 04, 2021 5:03 pm This crap will never end, will it?

President Donald Trump has replaced the top federal prosecutor in Atlanta with another Trump-appointed prosecutor from southern Georgia, bypassing a top career prosecutor.

Trump’s move came after the U.S. attorney in Atlanta, Byung “B.J.” Pak, abruptly resigned Monday. Justice Department officials have declined to say whether Pak resigned voluntarily or was asked to do so.

U.S. Attorney for Southern District of Georgia Bobby Christine said on his office’s website that he was named as the acting U.S. attorney in Atlanta on Monday “by written order of the President.” Christine, a former state prosecutor and magistrate, has served as the senate-confirmed U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia, which includes the cities of Savannah and Augusta.

In tapping Christine, Trump bypassed the prosecutor who would normally take over on an acting basis in the event of an emergency or sudden vacancy, First Assistant U.S. Attorney Kurt Erskine.

A White House spokesperson referred questions about the shuffle back to the Department of Justice.

Trump’s installation of a new leader in the U.S. attorney’s office in Georgia’s largest city comes as he continues to rail against the Justice Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation for failing to move aggressively against what he has baselessly alleged was rampant fraud in the November election in Georgia and in other swing states.

featureless wrote: Tue Jan 05, 2021 12:25 pm Bypassing norms to appoint loyalists? This fuck can't depart soon enough.