An analysis of text messages that Kelly Loeffler sent and received in the weeks preceding the Jan. 6, Capitol attack raises questions about unauthorized access to investigation material related to 2020 election probes.
POLITICO reviewed the messages and found that Loeffler was shifting in her political thinking as she considered whether to challenge the 2020 results. After losing her reelection bid to Sen. Raphael Warnock (D.Ga.), she declared she would challenge the results, but she ultimately decided not to do so because a mob attacked the Capitol.
Media organizations obtained the 59-page log, 405 text messages, via an anonymous sender. He declined to give more information about the source of these messages. They are from Nov. 8, 2020 through Feb. 3, 2021. POLITICO will not publish the entire document as it contains both unauthenticated and authenticated conversations. The document focuses on Loeffler’s election-related correspondence. It is unclear whether all her messages on the subject were included or just a few.
The log of text was sent by Cellebrite as a report. This is a service that investigators use to extract digital data from mobile phones. The document’s nature suggests that Loeffler’s cell phone was subpoenaed to or provided to Fulton County, Georgia prosecutors, who are currently investigating Trump’s attempts to influence the 2020 elections.
“The Fulton County District Attorney’s Office have not released any documents regarding Senator Kelly Loeffler,” stated Jeff DiSantis. He is a spokesperson for Fulton County District Attorney Fani Wilis.
Multiple requests for confirmation of the authenticity of the messages log were not answered by Loeffler aides. The message log was first reported by the Atlanta Journal Constitution on Wednesday night. Caitlin O’Dea, a Loeffler spokesperson, said that the document was being released to distract from the midterm elections.
O’Dea stated that criminal elements on the Left are using the liberal media to promote unverified content in an attempt to distract voters for twenty days.
The document’s metadata suggests that it was created July 25, 2022. When asked for more information about the origin of the Loeffler text logs, the anonymous sender replied late Wednesday that he didn’t know the answer. “If you ever doubt their authenticity, don’t hesitate to contact any one of those involved. Only a daredevil could make a fortune!
The large portion of the Loeffler messages reveals her Senate GOP colleagues’ attempts to lobby her to support their efforts to challenge Trump’s defeat to President Joe Biden.
According to the log, Senator Ted Cruz (R.Texas), texted Loeffler on Jan. 1, 2021: “Gota sec to chat?” Although it’s unclear what they discussed, later that evening Cruz sent Loeffler a proposal statement on objecting election results: “…Accordingly [I/we] plan to vote on January 6, to reject the electors, as they are not “regularly manufactured” or “lawfully certified” (the legal requisite), until the emergency audit is completes).
Dave Vasquez, Cruz spokesperson, responded that if Congress had followed his lead and created an Election Commission to conduct an urgent 10-day audit of voter fraud and evaluate the merits of the evidence, Americans would have greater faith in our democracy and the integrity of our elections.
Tricia, Loeffler’s wife, sent Loeffler another message on Nov. 9, 2020. She was also voicing anti-Trump voter fraud claims that later proved to be false.
Tricia Raffensperger reminded Loeffler of their meeting at a Washington Christmas party before she criticized the senator for her attack on the chief election official in the state.
“I never thought you would unleash such hatred and fury against someone in a political office of the same party. Because you did not have the decency and good manners to talk to my husband about any questions, you are personally threatening my family and mine. You have instead put us in the eyeof the storm,” Tricia Raffensperger sent Loeffler a text message, authenticated by someone familiar with the matter.
She continued, “Unlike you, my husband is an honourable man with integrity and to do the right things,” she said. You were so much better than this! You are not worthy to hold elected office. You do not deserve the high calling of this position.
Tricia Raffensperger spoke out publicly about the threats she faced and the dangers her family faced after the election. stated to Reuters that her family fled for a week in November 2020 following a break-in at the home of their widowed daughter.
