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Dialuna 4 Januari 2021

Trump, on tape, presses Ga. official to 'find' Trump votes

can defeat giants,” said War-
nock, who ended the early
morning service by also en-
couraging Georgians to vote
on Tuesday. “It’s so very im-
portant that your voice be
heard in this defining mo-
ment in our country,” he said.
“I would not be so presump-
tuous as to tell you who to
vote for.”
Loeffler was appointed to fill
a vacancy when Republican
Johnny Isakson resigned his
seat, and she will be in the
Senate, win or lose this com-
ing week, until the election
is certified. Perdue’s seat will
temporarily be vacant after
his term expires Sunday at
the end of six years.

Harris was scheduled to be
in Savannah on Sunday af-
ternoon. Trump and Biden
plan to campaign in the state
Monday, in last-minute ef-
forts to mobilize voters after
more than 3 million people
cast ballots early.

The president continues to
(AP) — President Don- is heard telling Raffensperger across the country, as well the state, raising fears that his create turbulence for Loef-
ald Trump badgered and at one point: “All I want to as Trump’s former attor- words could cause some Re- fler and Perdue by question-
pleaded with Georgia's do is this. I just want to find ney general, William Barr, publicans to stay away from ing Biden’s narrow victory in
election chief to overturn 11,780 votes, which is one have confirmed. Republican the polls. Georgia and the reliability of
Joe Biden's win in the more than we have. Because governors in Arizona and the state’s election systems.
state, suggesting in a tele- we won the state.” Georgia, key battleground “I believe that we will win
phone call that the official states crucial to Biden’s vic- on Tuesday because of the Trump also tweeted that
“find” enough votes to Georgia certified election re- tory, have also vouched for grassroots momentum, the Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp
hand Trump the victory. sults showing that Biden won the integrity of the elections unprecedented movement and Lt. Gov. Geoff Duncan,
the state's Nov. 3 election by in their states. Nearly all the energy in Georgia right now,” also Republicans, “have done
The conversation Saturday 11,779 votes. legal challenges from Trump Ossoff told CNN's “State of less than nothing. They are a
was the latest step in an un- and his allies have been dis- the Union.” He said “it feels disgrace to the great people of
precedented effort by a sit- The White House, Trump's missed by judges, including in Georgia like we are on the Georgia!”
ting president to pressure a reelection campaign and two tossed by the Supreme cusp of a historic victory.”
state official to reverse the Raffensperger's office did not Court, which includes three The president last week
outcome of a free and fair immediately respond Sun- Trump-nominated justices. Loeffler, when asked about called on Kemp to resign;
election that he lost. The re- day to emailed and texted re- siding with the growing the governor dismissed it as a
newed intervention and the quests for comment. The Senate runoffs pit Sen. group of Senate Republicans “distraction.”
persistent and unfounded Trump has repeatedly at- Kelly Loeffler against Demo- seeking to contest the Elec-
claims of fraud by the first tacked how Raffensperger crat Raphael Warnock and toral College count, said she Despite the attacks, Loef-
president to lose reelection in ran Georgia’s elections, Sen. David Perdue against was “looking very closely at it, fler said she believed voters
almost 30 years come nearly claiming without evidence Democrat Jon Ossoff. With and I’ve been one of the first would heed Trump's expect-
two weeks before Trump that the state’s 16 electoral the Senate up for grabs, to say, everything’s on the ed plea during his upcoming
leaves office and two days be- votes were wrongly given to the candidates and outside table.” She told “Fox News visit that they should turn
fore twin runoffs in Georgia Biden. groups supporting them have Sunday” that ”I’m fighting out.
that will determine control of spent hundreds of millions of for this president because “He’s going to tell voters the
the Senate. “He has no clue!” Trump dollars in the contests, delug- he’s fought for us. He’s our same thing: You have to get
tweeted of Raffensperger, ing Georgia with television president and we’re going to out and vote Georgia, be-
Trump confirmed in a tweet saying the state official “was ads, mail, phone calls and keep making sure that this is cause this is too important,”
Sunday that he had spo- unwilling, or unable” to an- door-knocking efforts. a fair election.” Loeffler said.
ken with Georgia's secretary swer questions about a series
of state, Republican Brad of claims about ballot han- Loeffler said she had not Warnock, the senior pastor at Perdue, who is in quaran-
Raffensperger, who tweeted dling and voters that have decided whether to join Re- Ebenezer Baptist Church in tine because he was exposed
that claims Trump made dur- been debunked or shot down publican colleagues in chal- Atlanta who has continued to a staff member with the
ing the call were untrue. by judges and election au- lenging the legitimacy of to preach as he campaigns for coronavirus and won't ap-
thorities. Biden’s victory over Trump. office, seemed to allude to pear with Trump at the Mon-
Audio snippets of the con- The Democratic candidates the runoff in a message deliv- day rally, said he would have
versation were posted online Raffensperger’s Twitter re- whose wins Tuesday would ered Sunday. He told viewers joined the electoral challenge
by The Washington Post. A sponse: “Respectfully, Presi- help clear roadblocks for the watching remotely due to the in the Senate if he had been
recording of the call was later dent Trump: What you’re new administration’s agenda pandemic that they are “on in Washington. “I’m encour-
obtained by The Associated saying is not true. The truth awaited a campaign visit from the verge of victory” in their aging my colleagues to ob-
Press from a person who was will come out.” Vice President-elect Kamala lives if they accept that God ject. This is something that
on the call. Harris. has already equipped them the American people demand
The president, who has re- There was no widespread Trump has persisted in at- with the ability to overcome right now,” he told Fox News
fused to accept his loss to the fraud in the election, which tacking top Georgia Republi- their adversaries. Channel's “Sunday Morning
Democratic president-elect, a range of election officials cans over his election loss in “When God is with you, you Futures.”