Witnesses lied in probe of Trump’s election interference in Georgia, grand jury says

A Georgia grand jury said it believes witnesses lied under oath in its probe of former President Donald Trump’s scheme to overturn his loss in the 2020 election, according to excerpts of its report that were publicly released Thursday.

The panel also unanimously rejected claims by Trump and his acolytes that the 2020 presidential election in the Peach state was marred by any widespread fraud.

“A majority of the grand jury believes that perjury may have been committed by one or more witnesses and testifying before it,” the grand jury wrote in the brief portions that were released. “The district attorney [should] seek appropriate indictments for such crimes where the evidence is compelling.”

The names of those who may have lied were not released.

Separately, the grand jury declared: “no widespread fraud took place in the Georgia 2020 presidential election that could result in overturning that election.”

The excerpts did not include sections of the report that are expected to recommend whether to indict Trump or anyone else in the plot, which included Trump’s phone call in which he insisted a Georgia election official “find” just enough votes to allow him to overtake President Biden.

The report’s partial release was ordered Monday by Fulton County Superior Court Judge Robert McBurney, who oversaw the special grand jury.

During a hearing last month, prosecutors urged him not to release the report until they decide on charges.

McBurney wrote in his order that it’s not appropriate to release the full report now because it’s important to protect the due process rights of people for whom the grand jury recommended charges.

The special grand jury, which was requested by Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis, did not have the power to issue indictments.

But it can recommend whether Willis should seek one or more indictments from a regular grand jury.

The grand jurors heard from 75 witnesses, among them Trump allies including former New York mayor and Trump attorney Rudy Giuliani and Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina. Top Georgia officials, such as Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger and Gov. Brian Kemp, also appeared before the panel.

Trump, who publicly refused to accept that President Biden won the November 2020 election, have made unproven claims of widespread voter fraud. State and federal officials, including Trump’s attorney general, have consistently said the election was secure and there was no evidence of significant fraud.

Willis has said since the beginning of the investigation two years ago that she is deeply troubled by a Jan. 2, 2021 phone call in which Trump insisted Raffensperger should “find” the votes needed to overturn his loss in the state.

“All I want to do is this: I just want to find 11,780 votes, which is one more than we have,” Trump said during that call. “Because we won the state.”