Trump drops Georgia lawsuits to overturn Biden win

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President Trump has voluntarily dropped multiple lawsuits seeking to overturn Joe Biden's election victory in Georgia, a move that comes one day after rioters stormed the U.S. Capitol to protest the certification of Biden’s win. 

A state filing shows that Trump's campaign team did not object to the voluntary withdrawal and that its claims that it reached a settlement with Georgia were false. 

Trump’s withdrawal of the lawsuits came after U.S. District Judge Mark H. Cohen denied a motion seeking to de-certify Georgia's election results. But only those present in the courtroom were able to watch the hearing held via videoconference because Trump's lawyer did not consent to remote access for the public, the judge's staff said.

President Donald Trump arrives to speak at a rally Wednesday, in Washington. (Associated Press)

The Trump 2020 Campaign filed the lawsuit last week after a string of legal defeats while attempting to undo Biden's victory, Bloomberg News reported.

It was filed ahead of Congress’ formal affirmation of Biden's win early Thursday morning, after electoral votes were submitted Dec. 14. In a phone call made public Sunday, Trump asked Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger to "find" enough votes to reverse the state's election outcome.

The lawsuit recycled baseless claims of "illegal voting" that have been flatly rejected by courts across the country. Lawyers representing Georgia blasted the case, saying in court documents that "a barrage of allegations and suits does not undermine the facts and should not undermine our democracy."

Judges have denied or dismissed dozens of cases backed by Trump and his allies, who have pushed unsupported charges of widespread fraud in battleground states.

Lawmakers of both parties raised the prospect Thursday of removing Trump from office, and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said that if he wasn't removed, the House might move forward with a second impeachment.

Though Trump has less than two weeks remaining in office, lawmakers and even some in his administration began discussing the issue Wednesday afternoon as Trump first refused to forcefully condemn the violence at the U.S. Capitol. The president called for calm later Wednesday. 

Trump also issued a new video Thursday, calling for "healing and reconciliation" and acknowledging that a "new administration" will be inaugurated Jan. 20.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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