Georgia Election Investigation

The Supreme Court has lifted a temporary hold on Sen. Lindsey Graham's testimony in a Georgia investigation of possible illegal interference in the 2020 election by then-President Donald Trump and his allies in the state. The high court on Tuesday left no legal impediments in the way of Graham's appearance before a special grand jury, now scheduled for Nov. 17. But in an unsigned order, the justices noted that Graham still could raise objections to some questions. The South Carolina senator, a top Trump ally, had argued that a provision of the Constitution, the speech and debate clause, shields him from being forced to testify. Lower courts had rebuffed Graham's plea for a pause while the legal case plays out.

A judge has ordered former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows to testify before a special grand jury that's investigating whether President Donald Trump and his Republican allies illegally tried to influence Georgia's 2020 election. Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis opened the investigation early last year into actions taken by Trump and others to overturn his loss to Democrat Joe Biden. Because Meadows lives in South Carolina, Willis had to use a process that involved getting a judge in that state to order him to appear in Georgia. Meadows' attorney has argued executive privilege and other rights shield Meadows from testifying.

Sen. Lindsey Graham has asked the U.S. Supreme Court to intervene after a lower court ordered him to testify before a special grand jury in Georgia investigating whether then-President Donald Trump and others illegally tried to influence the 2020 election in the state. In a filing Friday with the court, attorneys for the South Carolina Republican sought to halt Graham's possible testimony while he continues to appeal the requirement to appear before the Fulton County special grand jury. The filing was directed to Justice Clarence Thomas, who handles emergency appeals from Georgia.

A federal appeals court says U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham must testify before a special grand jury investigating whether then-President Donald Trump and others illegally tried to influence the 2020 election in Georgia. The ruling by a three-judge panel of the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals paves the way for Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis to bring Graham in for questioning as she tries to wrap up the investigation. Willis has said she wants to question the South Carolina Republican about phone calls he made to Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger in the weeks after the 2020 election.

A federal judge has ruled constitutional protections don't shield U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham from testifying before a special grand jury investigating possible illegal efforts to overturn then-President Donald Trump's 2020 election loss in Georgia. U.S. District Judge Leigh Martin May on Thursday again rejected Graham's argument that all of his 2020 calls with Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger were protected under the U.S. Constitution's speech or debate clause. But continuing appeals in the case mean the South Carolina Republican's appearance isn't imminent. The ruling does push Graham one step closer to testifying before the special grand jury.

U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham is citing the "speech or debate" clause of the Constitution as he tries to avoid testifying before a special grand jury that's investigating whether former President Donald Trump and others tried to illegally influence the 2020 election in Georgia. Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis wants to ask the South Carolina Republican about two phone calls they say he made to Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger and his staff in the weeks after the 2020 general election. Graham's attorneys have argued that the calls were made as part of his legislative duties.

A federal appeals court has agreed to temporarily put on hold a lower court's order requiring that U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham testify before a special grand jury that's investigating possible illegal efforts to overturn then-President Donald Trump's 2020 presidential election loss in Georgia. A subpoena had instructed the South Carolina Republican to appear before the special grand jury on Tuesday. U.S. District Judge Leigh Martin May on Monday denied Graham's request to quash his subpoena and on Friday rejected his effort to put her decision on hold while he appealed. Graham's lawyers appealed to the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. A three-judge panel of the 11th Circuit on Sunday issued an order temporarily pausing May's order declining to quash the subpoena.

A federal judge says Sen. Lindsey Graham can't put off his appearance before a special grand jury investigating whether then-President Donald Trump and others illegally tried to influence the 2020 election in Georgia. Earlier this week, U.S. District Judge Leigh Martin May ordered the South Carolina Republican to honor his subpoena for the grand jury. Graham's attorneys appealed that order to the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals and asked May to stay her ruling while that appeal plays out. May declined that request on Friday. Graham is currently scheduled to appear before the special grand jury on Tuesday. Representatives for Graham did not immediately respond Friday to messages seeking comment on May's ruling.

Prosecutors investigating whether Donald Trump committed crimes as he sought to overturn his 2020 election defeat in Georgia are running into increasing resistance as they seek to call witnesses to testify before a special grand jury. The latest illustration of that came Wednesday when lawyers for Republican Gov. Brian Kemp filed a motion to quash a subpoena for his testimony, accusing the office of Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis of pursuing his testimony for "improper political purposes." Willis rejected that characterization, describing it as dishonest. Kemp is just one of several witnesses who have pushed back against Willis' attempt to compel their testimony in a case that has high stakes for Trump.

U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham has formally appealed a judge's order requiring him to testify before a special grand jury investigating whether former President Donald Trump and others illegally sought to overturn his 2020 election defeat in Georgia. A judge had ruled that the South Carolina Republican comply with prosecutors' efforts to compel him to testify Aug. 23 about his phone calls to Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger and his staff after the election. Graham's appeal was made Wednesday, the same day that another Trump associate, former campaign attorney Rudy Giuliani, spent roughly six hours before the special grand jury in Atlanta.