Georgia is now looking into Lindsey Graham's phone call with Brad Raffensperger as part of criminal investigation into Trump's bid to overturn the election
Lindsey Graham's November 13 phone call to Georgia's secretary of state, Brad Raffensperger, is being called into question as part of a wider investigation into Donald Trump's actions in the hard-fought swing state.
Fani Willis, the district attorney for Fulton County - the most populous county in the state - opened an inquiry on Wednesday.
She will look at Trump's actions in the state, and focus in particular on his January 3 call to Raffensperger when he asked the election official to 'find' votes for him.
Lindsey Graham, pictured on Wednesday, called Georgia's secretary of state in November
Brad Raffensperger (pictured) was telephoned by Graham on November 13 to discuss the vote
On Friday The Washington Post reported that Graham's November call was also being investigated.
Raffensperger had raised alarm at the time about the call, which came from one of Trump's staunchest allies.
During the call, Graham asked him whether he had the power to toss out all mail ballots in certain counties, Raffensperger told the paper.
He said Graham appeared to be asking him to improperly find a way to set aside legally cast ballots.
Graham said he contacted Raffensperger on his own and was not asked to do so by Trump.
Graham's spokesman, Kevin Bishop, said that suggestions the call was dubious were 'ridiculous'.
'Sen. Graham was asking about how the signature verification process worked,' Bishop said.
'He never asked the Secretary of State to disqualify a ballot cast by anyone.
'The timing on this is also quite curious. It seems to be a less than transparent effort to marginalize anyone who helps President Trump.'
South Carolina senator Lindsey Graham is seen on Friday heading to meet Trump's lawyers
Fani Willis said right from the start that her probe will go beyond Trump's infamous phone call
Shortly after Graham's call, on November 19, the state was called for Joe Biden - a surprise victory for the Democrats, after 25 years of Georgia voting Republican. The result enraged Trump.
On January 2 Trump himself telephoned Raffensperger, a Republican, and asked him to 'find' votes for him, to prevent Biden claiming the White House.
In the call Trump says: 'All I want to do is this: I just want to find 11,780 votes, which is one more than we have,' referring to the narrow margin of President Joe Biden's victory in the state, one of a handful of swing states that cost Trump the White House.
The call was taped, and leaked to the media.
Willis' investigation will look into both Trump and Graham's calls to Raffensperger.
'This investigation includes, but is not limited to, potential violations of Georgia law prohibiting the solicitation of election fraud, the making of false statements to state and local governmental bodies, conspiracy, racketeering, violation of oath of office and any involvement in violence or threats related to the election's administration,' she wrote in a letter on Wednesday, announcing the inquiry.
Willis' letter says the next Fulton County grand jury is due to convene in March, at which time 'this office will begin requesting grand jury subpoenas as necessary.'
It makes note that there is 'no reason to believe' any Georgia official will be investigated.
Raffensperger's own office announced on Monday that they too had opened an investigation, in response to an outside complaint.
Jordan Fuchs, Raffensperger's deputy secretary of state, said on Friday that the office would not look at Graham's call as part of its investigation, in part because there is no audio recording of the call.
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