ATLANTA (AP) — The judge presiding over a special grand jury that’s investigating possible illegal attempts to influence the 2020 election in Georgia is wading into a fight over whether Republican Gov. Brian Kemp has to testify before the panel.
Fulton County Superior Court Judge Robert McBurney scheduled a hearing for Thursday morning after a dispute between lawyers for the governor and Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis’ team of prosecutors.
The increasingly heated rhetoric is playing out as the Republican governor seeks to avoid testifying to a special grand jury looking into whether former President Donald Trump and his allies broke any laws while trying to overturn Trump’s narrow loss.
Willis' investigation came about after the then-president and Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger had a phone conversation last January in which Trump suggested officials "find" votes needed to overturn his loss.
Brad Raffensperger has already appeared before the special grand jury.
Kemp, who is seeking reelection in the fall, is fighting orders to testify.
