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Georgia special grand jury heard a recorded call in which Trump pressured the state's House Speaker to convene a session to overturn the 2020 vote: report

Mar 16, 2023, 09:08 IST
Business Insider
Former President Donald Trump, left, called the late Georgia House Speaker David Ralston, right, shortly after the 2020 election.Alex Brandon and John Amis/AP
  • Then-Georgia House Speaker David Ralston got a call from Trump shortly after the 2020 election.
  • Trump asked Ralston for a special legislative session to investigate alleged voter fraud.
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Jurors for Georgia's special grand jury investigating efforts to overturn the 2020 election heard a recording of a call from former President Donald Trump, during which he urged the state's House Speaker for a special legislative session to investigate alleged voter fraud, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported.

The Atlanta newspaper spoke with five of the 23 special grand jury members who took part in Georgia's probe of efforts to overturn the 2020 election by Trump and his allies.

Part of their monthslong deliberations before recommending indictments included listening to a call between Trump and the late House Speaker David Ralston.

Ralston, who died in November 2022, previously revealed that he was contacted by Trump and his personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani shortly after the 2020 election, according to AJC. Ralston said Trump requested a special legislative session to discuss investigating false claims of voter fraud.

The demand would be rejected by Georgia leaders, including Gov. Brian Kemp and Lieutenant Gov. Geoff Duncan. According to AJC, Ralston was among the ranks who denied Trump's request.

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Trump's attorney and a spokesperson for the Fulton County District Attorney's office did not respond to a request for comment.

One juror told AJC that Ralston was "an amazing politician" and "basically cut the president off" during the call.

The juror recalled that Ralston said in the recording: "'I will do everything in my power that I think is appropriate' … He just basically took the wind out of the sails. 'Well, thank you,' you know, is all the president could say."

The special grand jury completed its report in January and recommended multiple indictments. The charges have not yet been released.

"It is not a short list," Emily Kohrs, the forewoman of the grand jury, told The New York Times.

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