The 23-person body is interested in two conversations Graham had with the Georgia Secretary of State’s office in the weeks following the 2020 elections. The senator’s subpoena alleges he spoke with local officials about “reexamining certain absentee ballots cast in Georgia in order to explore the possibility of a more favorable outcome for former President Donald Trump.”
Graham has long denied wrongdoing and last week moved to quash his subpoena. His lawyers argued in a recent filing that the U.S. Constitution’s “Speech or Debate” clause shields him from answering questions. In late 2020 Graham was the chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and his attorneys argued his Georgia conversations were relevant to his fact-finding and oversight responsibilities.
Graham on Tuesday said he shouldn’t be forced to testify and that doing so would be “destructive” to the U.S. Senate as a body.
Graham is not the only member of Congress fighting a subpoena from the Fulton grand jury. U.S. Rep. Jody Hice, R-Greensboro, is poised to argue a similar legislative immunity defense in a hearing before a Northern District of Georgia judge on Monday.
Read More: Graham agrees to launch subpoena challenge in Georgia