Georgia Democratic lawmaker to seek censure of Trump over Raffensperger call

A Democratic lawmaker from Georgia said Sunday that he would introduce a motion to censure President Trump in the House on Monday over audio of him pressuring Georgia’s secretary of state to overturn the results of the 2020 election in the Peach State.

Rep. Hank Johnson (D), who represents part of Georgia’s DeKalb County, tweeted that the president’s remarks to Brad Raffensperger (R) in audio reported by The Washington Post earlier Sunday constituted a “violation of state and federal law.”

“Tomorrow, I will introduce a resolution of Censure. Trump should resign NOW!” Johnson tweeted.

.@realDonaldTrump‘s call to the Ga. SOS
was far from “perfect.” In fact, it is a violation of state and federal law. Tomorrow, I will introduce a resolution of Censure. Trump should resign NOW! https://t.co/Jor1AmFDh0

— Rep. Hank Johnson (@RepHankJohnson) January 3, 2021

A House censure holds no legally binding power but serves as the highest form of official rebuke the body can serve the president short of filing articles of impeachment.

The Georgia lawmaker was one of many Democrats to react with outrage after audio of Trump’s call with Raffensperger was published Sunday; a number of Democrats, including Senate Minority Whip Dick Durbin (Ill.), have called for the president to face consequences up to and including criminal investigation over his remarks.

On the call, the president can be heard pressuring Raffensperger to “find” more than 11,000 votes needed for Trump to surpass President-elect Joe Biden in the state, an idea Raffensperger firmly rejects in the conversation.

The president also can be heard on the call talking about a number of conspiracy theories involving the 2020 election, including unproven allegations about tampering involving Dominion voting machines and ballots supposedly being shredded in Fulton County.

There has been no evidence presented to prove such allegations. Several top federal officials have dismissed such theories, and dozens of lawsuits filed by the Trump campaign have been tossed.