Comment The Supreme Court on Tuesday rejected a request by Sen. Lindsey O. Graham (RS.C.) to prevent him from testifying before a Georgia court investigating efforts to overturn former President Donald Trump’s election loss. There were no significant arguments on the court’s brief order. Graham had argued that his actions were legitimate legislative activities protected by the Constitution’s “speech or debate clause” and that he was protected from disclosing them to a grand jury. But Tuesday’s unsigned order said lower courts had already shielded him from questioning about his official duties. Read the Supreme Court decision: Graham, Senator v. Fulton County Spec. Purpose Grand Jury “The lower courts have held that the informal inquiry in which Senator Graham allegedly engaged constitutes legislative activity protected by the Speech or Debate Clause … and have held that Senator Graham cannot be questioned for such activities,” the ruling said. “The lower courts have also made it clear that Senator Graham can return to the District Court if disputes arise over the application of the speech or debate clause immunity to specific questions. Accordingly, suspension or injunction is not necessary to secure the Senator’s speech or debate clause immunity.” The lawsuit lifted a temporary stay granted by Chief Justice Clarence Thomas while the court considered the matter. The special Fulton County grand jury investigating alleged meddling in the 2020 presidential election by Trump and his allies has given the senator until Nov. 17 to testify. Jurors have already heard testimony from several of Trump’s lawyers, including Rudy Giuliani, John Eastman and Boris Epstein. A judge also ruled that former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows must testify. Probe into 2020 Georgia election could lead to prison terms, prosecutor says Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis (D) wants to question Graham about the calls he made to Georgia election officials shortly after Trump lost the election to Joe Biden. Prosecutors say Graham has “unique knowledge” of the Trump campaign and its “multistate, coordinated efforts to influence the outcome” of elections in Georgia and elsewhere. The senator’s attorneys said they have been told Graham is a witness — not a target — of the investigation. Graham’s attorney Donald F. McGahn told the Supreme Court that Graham is immunized by the Constitution and that without suspension, “Sen. Graham will suffer the exact injury he seeks to prevent: being tried in state court for his legislative activity and official acts.” Last month, a district court judge said prosecutors could not question Graham about parts of his calls that were statutory investigative facts. But the judge said Willis’ team could be investigated for coordination with the Trump campaign in its post-election efforts in Georgia, public statements about the 2020 election and any efforts to “provoke” or “incite” election officials. of Georgia. A three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit agreed that these actions “could not be characterized as legislative activities under any understanding of Supreme Court precedent.” Two of the judges were nominated by Trump. Willis had warned the Supreme Court that if Graham is allowed to avoid testifying altogether, the grand jury “will be indefinitely barred from seeking unique information, analyzing any evidence, or using the Senator’s testimony to investigate additional avenues valid research”. It is scheduled to complete its work by April. Tom Hamburger contributed to this report.