Trump defends 'perfect' call with Georgia secretary of state after prosecutor requests grand jury

Former President Donald Trump issued a statement on Thursday calling his phone call with Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger "perfect" after the Fulton County district attorney requested a special purpose grand jury for her investigation into attempts to change the outcome of the 2020 election.

Prosecutor Fani Willis (D) wrote a letter to Fulton County Chief Judge Christopher Brasher requesting the grand jury. She explained that her office's "investigation into any coordinated attempts to unlawfully alter the outcome of the 2020 elections" has faced multiple hurdles, most notably the fact that a significant number of witnesses have refused to cooperate.

A key witness, Raffensperger has refused to cooperate until he receives a subpoena, which Willis can only issue with a grand jury.

In a leaked phone call on Jan. 2, 2021, Trump told the Republican secretary of state to "find 11,780 votes" — the number needed for Trump to win Georgia.

"My phone call to the Secretary of State of Georgia was perfect, perhaps even more so than my call with the Ukrainian President, if that's possible," Trump said, referencing his phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky that lead to his first impeachment.

"I knew there were large numbers of people on the line, including numerous lawyers for both sides," Trump said in defending his call. "Although I assumed the call may have been inappropriately, and perhaps illegally, recorded, I was not informed of that. I didn't say anything wrong in the call, made while I was President on behalf of the United States of America, to look into the massive voter fraud which took place in Georgia.

"Just last week, it was further determined that they are looking into ballot harvesting in Fulton County, after supposedly watching tapes of it actually taking place. This alone could be tens of thousands of votes," Trump said. The investigation, led by Raffensperger, was first reported by Just the News.

"What this Civil Special Grand Jury should be looking into is not my perfect phone call, but the large scale voter fraud that took place in Georgia," said the former president. "Then they would be doing a great job for the people."

"No more political witch hunts!" Trump concluded.