The outcome of the presidential election has caused much controversy over the votes in many states, including Georgia. President Donald Trump has brought up many cases to the court but the court found no evidence of voter fraud in any of them. President Trump has remained adamant in his search to find voter fraud over the last couple of months, and some states have recounted their votes to see if there were any instances of widespread voter fraud or miscounts. 

On Jan. 2, 2021, the Washington Post released a tape of a phone call between President Trump and Georgia’s Secretary of State, Brad Raffensperger. The hour-long phone call consists of President Trump asking Raffensperger to ‘find’ more than 11,000 votes in his favor to change the outcome of the U.S. presidential election. 

Debate over the meaning and impact of this phone call has been heated and polarizing. Some think President Trump did not violate any laws by asking to look for more votes in his favor, but others think he was asking Raffensperger to commit voter fraud in order for him to win. 

According to some people, the phone call was a confidential conversation related to pending lawsuits the White House has filed against Georgia over the outcome of the election. Others took the call as President Trump’s attempt to intimidate and influence the outcome of an election, a federal offense. 

Leigh Ann Webster, a criminal defense lawyer in Atlanta, says that president Trump’s actions clearly violate Georgia statutes. She says it is illegal for anyone, regardless of the power they hold, to request or influence someone else to take part in voter fraud. 

Regardless of how the phone call is viewed or the intent behind it, the outcome of the presidential election remains unchanged with no evidence thus far of voter fraud, clearing the way for former Vice President Joe Biden’s inauguration later in the month.