Donald Trump could face criminal inquiry over ‘find votes’ phone call tape

Donald Trump was today facing the risk of a criminal investigation after telling an official to “find” votes to overturn Joe Biden’s presidential election victory.

It follows the release of a tape by the Washington Post in which President Trump is heard telling Georgia’s Republican Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger that he needs 11,780 votes to claim victory in the key state and that the result should be re-examined “with people who want to find answers”.

Mr Trump’s actions were denounced as a “bare-faced, bold abuse of power” by vice president-elect Kamala Harris. 

In the recording, he warns Mr Raffensperger, Georgia’s top election official, that it will be a criminal offence for him to fail to report the alleged shredding of ballots and the removal of voting machinery — despite the absence of any evidence that either happened.

Mr Raffensperger makes clear throughout the call that there was no reason to question the result in the state, which Mr Biden won by 11,789 votes, and he continually rebuffs Mr Trump’s demands for the Democrat win to be overturned.  

The tape’s release came as 10 former defence secretaries wrote a letter warning against military intervention in the election outcome. Mr Biden’s officials said it was “irrefutable proof” of an attempt by Mr Trump to “fabricate” an election result.