An Atlanta grand jury, convened Tuesday, is set to consider possible criminal charges against former President Donald Trump and his Republican associates. The charges relate to his alleged attempts to overturn Trump’s defeat in Georgia during the 2020 presidential election.
Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis launched an investigation following a phone call between Trump and Brad Raffensperger, Georgia’s secretary of state, that occurred in early 2021.
Trump reportedly suggested that Raffensperger could help him find 11,780 votes, the exact number needed to overtake Democrat Joe Biden in Georgia.
Willis’s investigation, which has spanned more than two years, has expanded to examine several aspects.
These included actions by alleged fraudulent Republican voters, post-2020 election calls made to Georgia officials by Trump and others, and unsubstantiated claims of widespread voter fraud made to state legislators.
Willis, a Democrat, is expected to present his findings to one of the newly appointed grand juries. Early signs indicate that possible indictments could be announced as early as August.
The investigation involved a special grand jury, convened by Willis a year after his investigation began. This grand jury had the power to issue subpoenas and examine testimony, but not to make indictments.
The jury concluded its work in January, producing a report with recommendations for Willis. However, no recommendation on specific charges against specific individuals has been released.
Potential subjects of charges stemming from the Willis investigation could include people tipped off last summer, such as suspected voter fraud and former Trump attorney Rudy Giuliani.
Some people have reached immunity deals with the Willis team. Willis has not yet indicated whether he will press charges against Trump, but he has consistently reiterated that no one is above the law.
The Georgia grand jury process plays a critical role in the state’s legal system. The responsibility of a grand jury is to examine the evidence and determine whether there is probable cause to believe that a crime has occurred. This process is carried out in private, without the media or public presence.
Once the case is presented to the grand jury, its members deliberate in private. They then vote on whether to issue an “indictment verdict” or a “no verdict” if they feel the evidence is insufficient.
If the grand jury approves the charges, the indictment is presented in open court and then filed with the clerk, becoming a public document. However, if the grand jury votes against an indictment, the prosecution can present the case to another grand jury.
Significantly, even an indictment or conviction would not necessarily bar Trump from running or winning the presidency in 2024.
The former president already faces several charges in other cases this year in New York and Florida, as special counsel for the Justice Department investigates his efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election in multiple states.
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2023-07-11 12:10:06
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