A grand jury in Georgia has indicted a local district attorney who had sought a special prosecutor to investigate possible election fraud in the state.
Paulding Judicial Circuit District Attorney Dick Donovan was charged with bribery and violation of oath of office, according to court records unsealed Wednesday.
The indictment alleges that Donovan offered “something of value” to a man named John Chester Chesebro in exchange for Chesebro’s agreement not to “pursue an election fraud case.” The indictment does not provide details about what Donovan is accused of offering.
Chesebro has been described as a “self-styled whistleblower” who has made unsubstantiated claims about election fraud in Georgia despite multiple audits and hand recounts that showed no evidence of widespread fraud.
It wasn’t immediately clear whether Donovan had an attorney who could comment on his behalf.
Chesebro said in an email Friday that he was satisfied with the indictment. “It is critical to the citizens of Georgia that election fraud concerns are investigated,” he said.
Donovan, a Republican, was elected in 2020 and took office in January. He previously worked as an assistant district attorney in neighboring Cobb County.