Indictment of Rev. Stephen Lee Raises Questions on Evidence in Georgia Election Case
Rev. Stephen Lee, commonly known as "America's Chaplain," was taken aback when he learned he was indicted in Fulton County's 2020 election case, along with former President Donald Trump and 17 others. An Illinois judge had previously dismissed a subpoena against Lee, citing insufficient evidence to consider him a material witness.
Lee, Trump, and the other defendants were indicted by a Fulton County grand jury on August 14, concluding a more than two-year investigation into an alleged conspiracy to overturn the 2020 presidential election. All defendants turned themselves in by the August 25 deadline and pleaded not guilty.
Lee faces five counts, including violation of Georgia's Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act and charges related to influencing witnesses. These charges are primarily against Ruby Freeman, a Fulton County election worker in the 2020 election.
Lee's attorney, Dave Shestokas, stated that Lee never spoke with Freeman. “Strangely enough, he never talks to her, he never even spoke to her,” Shestokas said. “So it's pretty difficult to engage in that activity if you never even actually talk to somebody.”
Shestokas also noted that they were unaware of the indictment until it was publicly announced. He claimed they learned about the August 25 surrender deadline from a press conference by District Attorney Fani Willis. The Fulton County DA's office did not immediately comment.
“The potential penalty for the reverend, if he were to be convicted, is a minimum mandatory five years in Georgia State Prison,” Shestokas added.
Democrats praised the indictment. "The DA laid out a very, very strong case that Donald Trump violated the law," said Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer. Rep. Nikema Williams added, "We should never be in a situation where a former president is criminally charged with an attempt to overturn the election."
Shestokas warned that the case could have broader implications for civil rights. "This case is a danger to all Americans ... obviously, it's an incredible danger to the folks that have been indicted. But is a danger not just to them, it’s a danger to all of us," he said.
Lee is known for his crisis response work, including at 9/11 and Hurricane Katrina. He is also a retired peace officer and pastor of a small Lutheran church. His indictment includes “161 overt acts that are supposedly part of this criminal conspiracy,” but Shestokas argues that 159 of them are protected by the First Amendment. Discovery is scheduled for October 6.
