New details emerge of Trump's call to Georgia's chief elections investigator
In late December, former President Donald Trump called Frances Watson, the chief investigator in the Georgia Secretary of State's office, and during their six-minute phone call, he encouraged her to look for fraud in mail-in ballots that were being audited, The Wall Street Journal reports.
The phone call was first reported by The Washington Post in January, but was not released until now. Trump told Watson multiple times that he won the state, and "something bad happened," the Journal reports. He told Watson that she had the most important job in the country, and "when the right answer comes out, you'll be praised." Trump also said ballots were "dropped," but did not explain what he meant, and Watson did not press him further, the Journal says.
There were two statewide recounts in Georgia, with both finding the same thing: President Biden won the state by about 12,000 votes, and Trump lost. At the time of the call to Watson, a forensic audit was underway of 15,000 mail-in ballots from Cobb County; it was later announced that no evidence of fraud was found. Trump told Watson he was calling at the request of his chief of staff, Mark Meadows, and she said she was "honored" to be speaking to him and was "only interested in the truth and finding the information that is based on the facts."
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Trump picked up the phone again in early January to urge Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger (R) to "find" enough votes to overturn Biden's win in the state. This prompted a criminal investigation into attempts to influence the 2020 presidential election, now underway by Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis.
In a statement to the Journal, Raffensperger's spokesman said Trump's call with Watson is "just one more example" of how his office promised to "follow the law, count every legal vote, and investigate any allegations of fraud."
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Catherine Garcia has worked as a senior writer at The Week since 2014. Her writing and reporting have appeared in Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, Wirecutter, NBC News and "The Book of Jezebel," among others. She's a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.
-
Why are people microdosing Ozempic?
In The Spotlight Tiny doses of the weight-loss drug can sidestep its unpleasant side effects, say influencers. But is customising the dose a good idea?
By Chas Newkey-Burden, The Week UK Published
-
Five festive cocktails for Christmas 2024
The Week Recommends Serve seasonal libations for an extra special gathering
By Adrienne Wyper, The Week UK Published
-
Octopuses could be the next big species after humans
UNDER THE RADAR What has eight arms, a beaked mouth, and is poised to take over the planet when we're all gone?
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Top Russian general killed in Moscow blast
Speed Read A remote-triggered bomb killed Lt. Gen. Igor Kirillov, the head of Russia's Nuclear, Biological and Chemical Defense
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Why Assad fell so fast
The Explainer The newly liberated Syria is in an incredibly precarious position, but it's too soon to succumb to defeatist gloom
By The Week UK Published
-
NATO chief urges Europe to arm against Russia
Speed Read Mark Rutte said Putin wants to 'wipe Ukraine off the map' and might come for other parts of Europe next
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
New Syria government takes charge, urging 'stability'
Speed Read The rebel forces that ousted Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad announced an interim government
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Romania's election rerun
The Explainer Shock result of presidential election has been annulled following allegations of Russian interference
By Sorcha Bradley, The Week UK Published
-
Russia's shadow war in Europe
Talking Point Steering clear of open conflict, Moscow is slowly ratcheting up the pressure on Nato rivals to see what it can get away with.
By The Week UK Published
-
South Korea roiled by short-lived martial law
Speed Read President Yoon Suk Yeol's imposition of martial law was a 'clear violation of the constitution,' said the opposition parties who have moved to impeach him
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Syrian rebels seize Aleppo in surprise offensive
Speed Read The rebels made gains against President Bashar al-Assad’s forces and reignited Syria's 13-year-old civil war
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published