Ex-US Attorney Asks GA Officials To Probe Graham’s Alleged Ballot-Toss Scheme

Senate Judiciary Chairman Lindsey Graham (R-SC) presides during the fourth day of confirmation hearings for Supreme Court nominee Judge Amy Coney Barrett on October 15, 2020. (Photo by Jonathan Ernst-Pool/Getty Images)
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Former U.S. Attorney Michael Moore on Thursday sent the Georgia State Election Board and Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger a request for an investigation into Senate Judiciary Chair Lindsey Graham (R-SC), who allegedly asked Raffensperger about throwing away legal ballots in the state.

“Based upon the public comments made by Secretary Raffensperger and given that the telephone call in question has been corroborated by both Secretary Raffensperger’s staff and Senator Graham, I request that the matter be fully investigated to determine if a violation of Georgia law occurred,” Moore wrote in his letter, which was first obtained by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, to the officials.

“I am particularly concerned that the chairman of the United States Senate Judiciary Committee would make any attempt to interfere with the Georgia Secretary of State as he endeavored to lawfully perform his constitutional duties in overseeing the 2020 election and the counting, and re-counting, of the votes cast in the state of Georgia,” he continued.

The attorney warned that “time is of the essence” for a potential investigation, given the upcoming Georgia Senate runoffs on January 5 early next year.

“I am confident that a thorough investigation of the matters contained herein will bolster public confidence in Georgia’s election outcome and will deter any future efforts to disenfranchise the voters of the sacred and fundamental right to choose their leaders,” he wrote.

Graham has denied trying to pressure Raffensperger into discarding ballots, and brushed off the potential for an ethics investigation into the matter.

“I get accused of everything,” he told CNN several days after the Georgia official came forward with the allegation. “I’m just going to keep being me.”

When contacted by TPM for Graham’s response, the lawmaker’s communications director Kevin Bishop replied, “The Obama appointed US Attorney?” and pointed to Moore’s Twitter feed, which shows anti-Trump tweets.

Raffensperger’s office did not immediately respond to TPM’s request for comment.

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