Georgia DA: Indictment decision in Trump 2020 probe coming in summer
Atlanta’s district attorney will announce later this year whether she will bring criminal charges in her investigation into former President Donald Trump’s alleged efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election in Georgia.
Fulton County DA Fani Willis’ timetable was revealed in letters to local law enforcement agencies asking them to prepare for “significant public reaction” to her announcement, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported Monday.
The letters indicated that Willis will reveal possible criminal indictments between July 11 and Sept. 1.
“Please accept this correspondence as notice to allow you sufficient time to prepare the Sheriff’s Office and coordinate with local, state and federal agencies to ensure that our law enforcement community is ready to protect the public,” Willis wrote to Fulton County Sheriff Patrick Labat, according to the news outlet.
“We have seen in recent years that some may go outside of public expressions of opinion that are protected by the First Amendment to engage in acts of violence that will endanger the safety of those we are sworn to protect,” Willis adds in her missive to Labat. “As leaders, it is incumbent upon us to prepare.”
Similar letters were sent from Willis to Atlanta’s chief of police and the director of the Atlanta-Fulton County Emergency Management Agency.
Willis launched her investigation into Trump, 76, and several of his allies more than two years ago.
The probe was triggered by the revelation of a phone call Trump made to Republican Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger on Jan. 2, 2021, urging him to “find 11,780 votes” — just enough to overtake Joe Biden and overturn Trump’s narrow loss in the Peach State.
Among those questioned before a special grand jury were ex-Trump lawyer Rudy Giuliani, Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) and Republican Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp.
Willis, a Democrat, informed a judge in January that the special grand jury had wrapped up its investigation and charging decisions were “imminent.”
In a series of bizarre interviews in February, the grand jury’s forewoman, Emily Kohrs, revealed that the panel recommended multiple indictments to Willis, but she stopped short of naming specific individuals the panel suggested be charged with crimes.
“It is not a short list,” Kohrs told the New York Times. “You’re not going to be shocked. It’s not rocket science.”
Trump has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing in Georgia and described his phone call to Raffensperger as “perfect.”
Before the former president’s indictment in Manhattan related to alleged hush-money payments made to two women during his 2016 presidential campaign, Trump called for his supporters to take to the streets of the Big Apple and protest Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s investigation.
”THE FAR & AWAY LEADING REPUBLICAN CANDIDATE & FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, WILL BE ARRESTED ON TUESDAY OF NEXT WEEK. PROTEST, TAKE OUR NATION BACK!” Trump wrote in a Truth Social post last month.
“THEY’RE KILLING OUR NATION AS WE SIT BACK & WATCH. WE MUST SAVE AMERICA! PROTEST, PROTEST, PROTEST!!!,” he added.
New York City officials and law enforcement braced for unrest between Trump’s March 30 indictment and his April 4 arraignment, but fears of unruly behavior were ultimately unfounded, as pro-Trump demonstrations in Manhattan were small and confined to a small park near the courthouse.
