Name: Fulton County Grand Jury Recommended Charges Against Sen. Lindsey Graham, 2 Former GOP Senators
Uploaded: 2023-09-09T16:17:12.000Z
Description: A grand jury in Fulton County, Georgia, had recommended criminal charges against Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) as well as former GOP Sens. Kelly Loeffler and David Perdue, according to a report that was released Friday.

Arleen Richards is NTD's legal correspondent based at the network's global headquarters in New York City, where she covers all major legal stories. Arleen holds a Doctor of Law (J.D.).


Arleen Richards

NTD Plus

News

News with integrity, from the U.S. and around the world. Focused reports and analyses that shed light on major issues the world deserves to know. NTD Evening News airs daily at 6 p.m. ET.

NTD Evening News

Massive Win Against 'Gender-Affirming Care': Biologist on Children's Hospital Settlement

David Zhang is a Washington correspondent focusing on national politics and U.S.–China relations. He was previously the host of the California Today and NTD Tonight.

David Zhang

Long-Awaited Documentary ‘Silent Harvest’ Debuts

Melina Wisecup is NTD's congressional correspondent based in Washington, covering Capitol Hill and campaign politics.

Melina Wisecup

Washington Roundup (May 16): Hearing Spotlights Forced Organ Harvesting in China

Daniel Monaghan is a reporter for NTD News covering culture, social issues, and education. He holds a BA in Political Science and Government.

Daniel Monaghan

White House Week in Review (May 16): China Trip, Police Week, Biolab Crackdown

Dave Martin is NTD's Senior Sports Reporter and sports analyst. He also hosts "Data Hub" segments during NTD's special election coverage, "The Nation Decides."

Dave Martin

Pistons, Cavs Get Ready For Game 7, Knicks Await Winner

NTD Newsroom comprises teams of reporters, editors, and producers assigned to cover breaking news and other stories.


NTD Newsroom

Sen. Cassidy Faces Tough Competition in GOP Primary

Jacki Thrapp is an Emmy® Award-winning journalist based in Nashville. She previously worked at The New York Post, Fox News Channel and has written a series of Off-Broadway musicals in NYC. Contact her at jacki.thrapp@epochtimes.us

Jacki Thrapp

Business News

China Eases Restrictions on US Beef, Poultry Following Beijing Summit

Sam Wang is a Washington correspondent for NTD News based in Washington, D.C. Sam covers politics on Capitol Hill, and U.S.-China relations. 

Sam Wang

Citizens React to Communist Cuba in Crisis

The Associated Press is an American not-for-profit news agency headquartered in New York City. 

The Associated Press

US News

Politics

Executive Branch

Trump Says ISIS Second-in-Command Killed in Joint US–Nigerian Mission

Federal Agencies Announce ‘Summer Surge’ of Law Enforcement into DC Ahead of 250th Anniversary

NTD Evening News Full Broadcast (May 16)

Cary Dunst is the news anchor for NTD Evening News. He is also the co-host of NTD Good Morning.


Cary Dunst

NTD Evening News Full Broadcast (May 15)

NTD Evening News Full Broadcast (May 14)

NTD Evening News Full Broadcast (May 13)

NTD Evening News Full Broadcast (May 12)

NTD Evening News Full Broadcast (May 11)

Don Ma is an anchor and senior business correspondent based at the network's global headquarters in New York City. Don is the anchor and producer of NTD's "Business Matters," which airs weekdays at 4:30 pm ET.

Don Ma

NTD Evening News Full Broadcast (May 10)

NTD Evening News Full Broadcast (May 9)

NTD Evening News Full Broadcast (May 8)

NTD Evening News Full Broadcast (May 7)

Fast, compelling, first-hand news from China. China in Focus airs Monday–Friday at 8 p.m. ET.

China in Focus

China Sends Warships to Pacific Drill as Tensions With Japan Rise

Reuters is a news agency owned by Thomson Reuters. It employs around 2,500 journalists and 600 photojournalists in about 200 locations worldwide writing in 16 languages.

Reuters

We present news that is truthful and based on facts, outside of the political fog. Instead of focusing on the negative things happening around us, our mission is to give our viewers a good morning with empathetic and uplifting stories. Our aim is to provide an antidote to negativity by shining a light on the best side of people. We speak to inspiring people who positively impact communities, pursue topics that represent our common human values, and will never miss an opportunity to bring you heartwarming stories.

NTD Good Morning

2 US Embassy Personnel Assigned to Cartel Case Killed in Car Accident

Gunman Kills 8 Children, Including 7 of His Own, in Louisiana Mass Shooting

Flora Hua is a reporter based at NTD's global headquarters in New York City, where she covers China news, U.S.-China relations, and human rights issues. Flora primarily contributes to NTD's "China in Focus."  

Flora Hua

Trump: Seized Iranian Ship May Have ‘A Gift From China’

Joseph Lord is a congressional reporter for The Epoch Times.


Joseph Lord

Aldgra Fredly is a freelance writer covering U.S. and Asia Pacific news for The Epoch Times.

Aldgra Fredly

Former NYC Mayor Rudy Giuliani Hospitalized in Critical Condition: Spokesman

Wildfires Across Georgia and Florida Have Destroyed Nearly 50 Homes and Are Forcing Evacuations

News you can trust from the U.S. and around the world. Critical information and insight. We cover the stories that others don’t. NTD News Today airs Monday–Friday at 11 a.m. ET.

NTD News Today

US Warns of China Hacks via Routers, Smart Devices

Juliet Song is an international correspondent exclusively covering China news for NTD. She primarily contributes to NTD's "China in Focus," covering U.S.-China relations, the Chinese regime's human rights abuses, and domestic unrest inside China.

Juliet Song

2 Americans Among Suspected Communist Rebels Killed in Clashes With Troops, Philippine Officials Say

Ryan Morgan is a reporter for The Epoch Times focusing on military and foreign affairs. He was previously a news writer for NTD. 


Ryan Morgan

Mari Otsu is NTD's White House correspondent based in Washington. 

Mari Otsu

World News

Middle East

Iran

3 US Warships Fend Off Iranian Attacks, Trump Says Ceasefire Still Holds

Health News

3 Dead in Suspected Hantavirus Outbreak on Cruise Ship in Atlantic Ocean: WHO

A grand jury in Fulton County, Georgia, had recommended criminal charges against Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) as well as former GOP Sens. Kelly Loeffler and David Perdue, according to a report that was released Friday.

Portions of the report were released earlier this year (pdf), but a judge had delayed its release until last month's indictment of former President Donald Trump and 18 others.  The panel also recommended charges against retired Lt. Gen Michael Flynn, a former Trump national security advisor, and Boris Epshteyn, also a top adviser to the 45th president.

The special grand jury panel said it heard from some 75 witnesses before completing a report in December with recommendations for Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis on charges related to efforts after the 2020 presidential election. Ms. Willis had said she needed the panel's subpoena power to compel the testimony of witnesses who might otherwise not have been willing to appear.

Sens. David Perdue (R-Ga.) and Kelly Loeffler (R-Ga.) in file photographs. (Getty Images)

However, Ms. Willis' office ultimately indicted the 19 aforementioned people, which also included attorney Sidney Powell, former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows, former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, former Trump lawyer Jenna Ellis, and more on charges that included violating Georgia's anti-racketeering law. They have all pleaded not guilty.

Mr. Graham, Ms. Loeffler, Mr. Perdue, and others were not among those who were charged last month, and it's not clear if they will be in the future. Both Ms. Loeffler and Mr. Perdue lost their elections in early 2021, with current Sens. Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.) and Jon Ossoff (D-Ga.) prevailing.

Fulton County Superior Court Judge Robert McBurney ordered the partial release of the report recommending charges in February but declined to immediately release the panel’s recommendations on who should or should not be prosecuted. The judge said at the time that he wanted to protect people’s due process rights.

Judge McBurney said in a new order filed Aug. 28 that the due process concerns were moot since a regular grand jury has indicted President Trump and 18 other people under the state's anti-racketeering law.

The parts of the report previously released in February included its introduction and conclusion, as well as a section in which the grand jurors expressed concerns that one or more witnesses may have lied under oath and urged prosecutors to seek charges for perjury. The panel’s foreperson had said in news interviews that the special grand jurors had recommended that numerous people be indicted.

Even though the report was finally released to the public on Friday, it's not clear when—or if—the transcripts of witness testimony will be released.

The members of the grand jury panel, meanwhile, claimed that their findings to recommend charges came only from them and were not pressured by Ms. Willis' office. They said that the district attorney “had nothing to do with the recommendations contained herein," and the grand jury contained no legal experts or any criminal defense lawyers.

Former U.S. National Security Advisor Gen. Michael Flynn arrives for his sentencing hearing at U.S. District Court in Washington, on Dec. 18, 2018. (Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images)

“The majority of this grand jury used their collective best efforts, however, to attend every session, listen to every witness, and attempt to understand the facts as presented and the laws as explained,” they wrote in the report—possibly in an attempt to pre-empt any criticism of potential bias against former President Trump or the others.

The grand jurors also stated that they believed the Georgia 2020 election wasn't fraught with "widespread fraud," contradicting longtime claims made by the former president and others.

As of Friday, Mr. Graham has not issued a public statement on the report that had recommended charges. And neither Ret. Gen. Flynn, Mrs. Loeffler, Mr. Epshteyn, nor Mr. Perdue have released statements, too, as of Friday morning.

The charges appeared to have stemmed from a phone call that the longtime GOP senator made to Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, a longtime critic of President Trump, who claimed that Mr. Graham had asked him whether it was possible to invalidate legally cast ballots after the 2020 victory.

The secretary of state went a step further, alleging in a Washington Post <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/brad-raffensperger-georgia-vote/2020/11/16/6b6cb2f4-283e-11eb-8fa2-06e7cbb145c0_story.html">interview</a> in 2021, that he asked more questions about the state's laws around ballots. He then accused Mr. Graham of wanting to toss ballots that he said were legally cast: "It sure looked like he was wanting to go down that road."

But Mr. Graham at the time said that he believed it "was a good conversation" and that he committed no wrongdoing. “I thought it was a good conversation,” the senator <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/live/2023/sep/08/georgia-report-indictment-trump-expected-unsealed-biden-modi-g20-latest-news">said</a> at the time. “I’m surprised to hear he characterized it that way.”

<em>The Associated Press contributed to this report.</em>

<em>From <a href="https://www.theepochtimes.com/us/fulton-county-grand-jury-recommended-charges-against-sen-lindsey-graham-2-former-gop-senators-5488295">The Epoch Times</a></em>

Latest

Videos

Georgia

senators

Breaking News

01_Lead Story

04_Top Stories

jury

Latest Clips

charges

Lindsey Graham

Fulton

Management

Jack Phillips is a breaking news reporter with 15 years experience who started as a local New York City reporter. Having joined The Epoch Times' news team in 2009, Jack was born and raised near Modesto in California's Central Valley. 

Jack Phillips

02_Second Lead

Donald Trump

Trump Indictments

Latest and breaking news, documentaries, movies, and lifestyle content on NTD+.
 
Empower your knowledge and elevate your spirit with NTD+, your go-to destination for truthful news, insightful documentaries, and captivating lifestyle content that enriches your life.