Federal prosecutors recently contacted Gov. Brian Kemp about efforts by Donald Trump and his allies to overturn the 2020 election results in Georgia, part of a widening probe by special counsel Jack Smith into the former president’s attempt to reverse his defeat.
Kemp spokesman Andrew Isenhour confirmed Friday that the governor’s office was contacted by Smith’s investigators but declined further comment.
Trump received a “target” letter last week from Smith’s office that indicated he could face potential criminal charges.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported last week that federal prosecutors are also examining security footage recorded at Atlanta’s State Farm Arena that was the center of widespread election fraud lies.
It demonstrated the growing areas of overlap between Smith’s probe and the Fulton County investigation of interference in Georgia’s 2020 elections, which is expected to result in indictments against Trump and others within weeks.
Previous subpoenas and grand jury appearances show that local and federal prosecutors also share an interest in the fake elector scheme in Georgia and Trump’s attempt to pressure Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger to “find” exactly enough votes to overtake President Joe Biden’s advantage.
The details of Kemp’s involvement in the federal investigation was reported earlier by The Washington Post.
The governor, along with a key deputy, was questioned last year by Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis as part of her probe. Kemp has said he’s “disappointed” at the pace of the investigation but has cooperated, and prosecutors have made clear he’s not a target of potential charges.
The governor repeatedly refused Trump’s demand for a special legislative session to overturn his election defeat, earning the then-president’s wrath.
Trump made Kemp one of his targets in last year’s midterm election and recruited former U.S. Sen. David Perdue to wage a primary challenge against him. Kemp overwhelmed Perdue and handily defeated Democrat Stacey Abrams in a rematch.
The governor has since urged Republicans to steer clear of Trump’s obsession with his 2020 defeat and instead focus on the future,
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