ATLANTA — A resolution in the Georgia Senate would create a powerful new citizens panel to investigate election fraud. The bill is among numerous Republican bills introduced to in the wake of the 2020 election, narrowly won by Democrat Joe Biden.
"We have totally lost confidence in our election system," state Sen. Steve Gooch told an investigative panel Dec. 3. The committee was empaneled to find widespread election fraud in Georgia – without much to show for it.
But Gooch and other Senate Republicans want to allow more investigations. Their bill would allow the attorney general to empanel statewide grand juries to investigate election fraud anywhere in Georgia.
The grand juries would have subpoena power and could take sworn testimony -- giving them teeth.
11Alive asked Sen. Gooch if election fraud allegations aren’t getting sufficient attention.
"You could say that. Depends on who you ask," said Gooch, who represents a north Georgia district that solidly supported Donald Trump in the 2020 election. "We’ve had comments in the past years, not just recently. It’s something we need to look at seriously."
Although counties can empanel grand juries to investigate crimes, no power exists for statewide grand juries. This Senate resolution would allow them only to investigation election crimes.
Democrats say the bill is based on a false premise.
"There’s been no evidence of fraud at all," said state Sen. Harold Jones II (D-Augusta). "We think it’s a reaction to what happened in the election. And whenever you have a reactionary bill dealing with voting, we think it’s very problematic."
Democrats added that the statewide panels could open investigations that local prosecutors found lacking in evidence.
"Say you have a problem in Fulton County, DeKalb County. Could you have a jury all from Tattnall County (near Vidalia) swoop in?" asked state Sen. Elena Parent (D-Atlanta).
Gooch said that was irrelevant. "Anywhere a crime is committed, we should make sure that criminals are brought to court and tried held accountable for their actions."
The statewide grand jury bill is a proposed constitutional amendment – which means it would require two-thirds passage in the legislature and majority approval of voters statewide.