Georgia’s Raffensperger—Who Trump Pushed To ‘Find’ Votes— Headlining Next Jan. 6 Committee Hearing

Topline

Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger (R), who became well-known for thwarting former President Donald Trump’s efforts to overturn the state’s 2020 election results, will testify at the next January 6 committee hearing along with his deputy, Gabriel Sterling (R), according to a spokesman for the secretary of state.

Key Facts

Trump urged Raffensperger in a January 2, 2021, call to “find” the votes to overturn President Joe Biden’s win in Georgia, but Raffensperger pushed back, denying conspiracy theories Trump floated about rigged voting machines.

Trump seemed to threaten Raffensperger and the secretary of state’s lawyer, Ryan Germany, in one exchange during the call, warning them not heeding his calls to overturn the election might be a “criminal offense.”

Sterling also won the national news spotlight by holding news conferences in which he slammed Trump’s claims of widespread fraud.

Surprising Fact

Trump’s effort to overturn the Georgia results is the subject of a Fulton County criminal probe. Raffensperger testified before a special grand jury impaneled in the case earlier this month.

Key Background

Tuesday’s public hearing, scheduled for 1 p.m. Eastern time, will be the fourth held by the committee, which has painted Trump as the central figure that instigated the Capitol riot. The first hearing focused on the actions of rioters that stormed the Capitol, and was broadcast in primetime to an audience of more than 20 million viewers. The second hearing centered on Trump ignoring advisors who told him he had lost the election, while the third hearing focused on Trump’s efforts to push Pence to block the certification of the election.

Tangent

Raffensperger easily defeated Rep. Jody Hice (R), his Trump-endorsed challenger, in last month’s Republican primary for secretary of state.

Further Reading

‘Fellas, I Need 11,000 Votes’: Trump Pressures Georgia Officials To Overturn Election In Leaked Audio Clip (Forbes)

Jan. 6 Hearings: Pence Told Trump ‘Many Times’ He Couldn’t Overturn Election Results, Staffer Says (Forbes)

Trump’s Picks Get Clobbered In Georgia Primaries—But He Still Claims ‘Success’ (Forbes)

Jan. 6 Committee Hearing: Riot Defendants Say Trump ‘Asked’ Them To Storm Capitol (Forbes)

Jan. 6 Hearing Shows Rioters Repeating Trump’s Baseless Election Claims — Even As Former White House Lawyer Called Allegations ‘Nuts’ (Forbes)

Trump Investigation Heats Up In Georgia As DA Convenes Grand Jury—Here’s What Happens Next (Forbes)

More Than 20 Million Tuned Into January 6 Hearing—Topping NBA Finals (Forbes)