Trump’s Call to Georgia Isn’t Considered Treason
The Claim
President Trump’s call to Georgia, during which he asked state officials to “find 12,000 votes,” counts as treason.
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The claim went viral following the release of Trump’s phone call to Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger.
Misbar’s Analysis
This week, the Washington Post released a leaked recording of a phone call between Trump and a few Georgia officials. He shocked the world when he outright asked the officials to “find 12,000 votes” (although he still would lose the election). Doing so would constitute as election fraud, which is certainly a crime.
On Twitter and other social media platforms, so have asserted that this phone call is treasonous. In addition to inciting the mob attack on the capital this week, many have used the phone call to support the argument that Trump should be impeached, despite having only two weeks left in office.
Misbar's investigation found that this phone call might count as an attempt to solicit voter fraud, but it’s not technically treason. Treason is when someone attempts to overthrow the government, support its enemies, harm the US military in some way, or conspire to do these things.
This phone call isn’t an attempt to overthrow the government. Rather, it’s an attempt to continue a preexisting government through illegal means.
