Georgia Prosecutor Poised to Seek Indictment in Trump Election Interference Investigation

Georgia Prosecutor Expected to Seek Grand Jury Indictment in Trump Election Investigation

ATLANTA (AP) — Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis is anticipated to seek a grand jury indictment in the coming weeks as part of her investigation into efforts by former President Donald Trump and his allies to overturn the 2020 election results. The investigation, which began over two years ago, gained momentum after the release of a recording of a phone call Trump made to Georgia’s secretary of state in January 2021.

Willis has hinted that the indictment could be expected between July 31 and August 18, with one of the two grand juries seated on July 11 likely to hear the case.

If Trump is indicted by a Georgia grand jury, it would add to his growing list of legal troubles as he campaigns for president. Trump is already scheduled to face state charges related to hush-money payments in New York in March and federal charges related to handling classified documents in May. He has pleaded not guilty in both cases.

The Justice Department is also investigating Trump’s role in attempting to halt the certification of the 2020 election results, which led to the January 6, 2021, assault on the U.S. Capitol. Trump has stated that he is a target of that investigation, which may overlap with the one in Georgia.

Details of the Georgia investigation that have been made public suggest that Willis may be building a case under the Georgia Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, which would allow her to charge multiple individuals involved in a potentially wide-ranging scheme.

Here are six key aspects of the investigation:

1. The Phone Calls: The investigation was triggered by a phone call Trump made to Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger on January 2, 2021. In the call, Trump urged Raffensperger to “find” enough votes to overturn the election results in his favor. Trump has maintained that he did nothing wrong and described the call as “perfect.” He also made calls to other top state officials in his efforts to overturn the election.

2. Fake Electors: After Biden won Georgia by a narrow margin, a group of 16 Georgia Democratic electors met to cast the state’s Electoral College votes for him. On the same day, 16 prominent Georgia Republicans signed a certificate falsely stating that Trump had won and declared themselves the state’s “duly elected and qualified” electors. Prosecutors believe that Trump associates worked with state Republicans to coordinate this plan.

3. False Claims of Election Fraud: Republican state lawmakers held hearings in December 2020 to examine alleged problems with the November election. Trump allies, including Rudy Giuliani, made unproven claims of widespread election fraud. They alleged that election workers at State Farm Arena in Atlanta had engaged in fraudulent activities, but investigations found no evidence to support these claims.

4. Alleged Attempts to Pressure Election Worker: Two election workers faced harassment as a result of the allegations made by Trump and his allies. In a bizarre episode, a woman traveled from Chicago to Georgia and met with one of the workers, Ruby Freeman, attempting to pressure her into falsely confessing to committing election fraud.

5. Election Equipment Accessed: Trump-allied lawyer Sidney Powell and others hired a computer forensics team to copy data and software on election equipment in Coffee County, Georgia. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation is looking into the alleged unauthorized access of election equipment.

6. U.S. Attorney Resignation: U.S. Attorney BJay Pak, the top federal prosecutor in Atlanta, resigned shortly after Trump called Raffensperger and a recording of that call was made public. Pak had previously reported that he found no evidence of widespread election fraud, which led to Trump’s dissatisfaction and his subsequent resignation.

As the investigation progresses, the potential indictment of Trump by a Georgia grand jury could have significant implications for his political future and legal battles.

What specific evidence is the investigation considering to determine whether there was a coordinated effort by Trump and his allies to pressure Georgia officials

Votes for Biden. However, another group of Republican electors also gathered and attempted to cast their own votes for Trump. The investigation is examining whether these actions violated Georgia law.

3. Coordinated Effort: The investigation is looking into whether there was a coordinated effort by Trump and his allies to pressure Georgia officials to overturn the election results. This includes examining any evidence of meetings, conversations, or communications between Trump’s team and state officials.

4. Intimidation: Willis is investigating whether Trump or his allies engaged in any form of intimidation or harassment towards Georgia officials. This could include threats, coercion, or other actions aimed at influencing their decision-making.

5. Campaign Finance Violations: The investigation is also exploring potential campaign finance violations. This includes examining whether any funds were used improperly or in violation of campaign finance laws to support efforts to overturn the election results.

6. RICO Act: As mentioned earlier, Willis may be considering charges under the Georgia Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act. This law allows prosecutors to target organized criminal enterprises and charge multiple individuals involved in a conspiracy or scheme.

It is important to note that an indictment does not guarantee a conviction. If indicted, Trump would have the opportunity to present his defense in court. However, the indictment would represent a significant legal development in the ongoing investigations into the 2020 election.