Former Trump lawyer asked to testify in Georgia election meddling probe

A lawyer formerly litigating Donald Trump's 2020 election fraud claims has been called on to testify in a criminal investigation into efforts to overturn Georgia's election results.

The New York Times reports that L Lin Wood, the attorney who — alongside Rudy Giuliani and Sidney Powell — once carried the former president's voter fraud challenges to the courts, will now cooperate by providing testimony for the Fulton County District Attorney's Office.

“I didn’t do anything wrong,” Mr Wood told the Times. “I’ve got nothing to hide, so I’ll go down and talk to them.”

In 2021, Mr Wood gave an interview to CNBC in which he discussed hosting meetings at a "plantation in South Carolina for the purpose of exploring options to influence the results of the 2020 elections in Georgia and elsewhere."

Prosecutors noticed that Ms Powell — who they hoped to compel to testify — attended Mr Wood's meetings, as did former national security adviser and QAnon conspiracy theorist Michael Flynn.

According to Mr Wood, prosecutors told him he was a material witness but not a target in the investigation.

A special grand jury tasked with examining election interference in the state has already heard testimony from more than 30 witnesses, including Mr Giuliani. Prosecutors told Mr Giuliani that he was a target.

Once it finishes hearing witness testimony, the special grand jury will turn its findings over to a normal grand jury, which can then pursue indictments.

The prosecutors reportedly are also seeking testimony from the former White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows and Republican Governor Brian Kemp.

Mr Wood has become something of a pariah among his former right-wing allies. Kyle Rittenhouse, who faced and was ultimately acquitted on charges stemming from a shooting at a protest in 2020 that left two people dead and one injured, called Mr Wood — who had formerly represented him — "insane" and suggested he had "taken advantage of him."

Other right-wing personalities, including alt-right activist Jack Posobiec, former Trump White House aide Sebastian Gorka, and Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene jumped on the bandwagon and began trashing Mr Wood.

In response, Mr Wood turned on the "stop the steal" movement and his former QAnon-adjacent allies.

“After doing the research and connecting the dots, I have reached the conclusion that the Stop the Steal organization is a Deep State organization to raise money for purposes other than to FIX 2020. … WATCH OUT for anyone affiliated with Stop the Steal. Every lie will be revealed,” Mr Wood posted on Telegram at the time.

He also claimed that "Mike [Flynn] and Sidney [Powell] played me for a few months," because he had "no experience in military psychological operations."