Donald Trump’s fate hangs in the balance as Tuesday approaches, marking the potential culmination of a string of indictments this year. These legal actions stem from a criminal inquiry into his efforts to overturn the 2020 election outcome in Georgia.
There has been ongoing speculation that Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis intends to press charges against the former president and others by mid-August. Reports suggest that an announcement could come as soon as August 15.
Over the weekend, two key witnesses in Willis’ investigation—former Georgia Lieutenant Governor Geoff Duncan and Atlanta-based journalist George Chidi—confirmed their scheduled testimony before a grand jury early in the upcoming week. This development signals that Willis might be ready to present the grand jury, which has been gathering evidence for the past month, with the question of whether to pursue an indictment.
Despite being the frontrunner for the 2024 GOP presidential nomination, Trump staunchly maintains his innocence in relation to Willis’ probe. He has consistently labeled her investigation as a politically motivated “witch hunt,” particularly linked to her election inquiry. Trump’s office has been contacted via email for a response.
Donald Trump’s engagement with Iowa politics on August 12, 2023.
The legal scrutiny from Willis’ office has extended for over two and a half years, investigating Trump and his associates for potential criminal conduct tied to their endeavors to overturn the 2020 election results.
Initially centered around a January 2021 phone call in which Trump urged Georgia’s Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger to “find” enough votes to surpass Joe Biden’s margin, the inquiry’s scope has broadened. It now encompasses allegations of a coordinated multi-state scheme by Trump and his allies to manipulate the 2020 election results. This includes allegations of orchestrating false electors to claim Trump’s victory instead of Biden’s.
Recent reporting from CNN suggests that Willis’ team has acquired emails and text messages suggesting Trump’s legal team, including former attorney Rudy Giuliani, attempted to access Coffee County’s voting systems in January 2021 to support baseless voter fraud claims. Giuliani’s attorney has denied any involvement.
Willis is reportedly pursuing racketeering charges against Trump and associates as part of the investigation. The Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act, commonly applied in organized crime cases, enables prosecutors to charge multiple individuals for separate offenses if they collaborated towards a common goal.
According to legal reporter Anna Bower, Willis is scheduled to present her findings and evidence to the grand jury on Monday, with the possibility of an indictment announcement by Tuesday evening.
The evidence supporting the indictment is expected to include a report previously compiled by a special grand jury earlier in the year. This report recommended charges against several individuals in connection with the Georgia election interference probe, without specifying names.
Emily Kohrs, a member of the special grand jury, indicated that no sensational twists are expected. She hinted that although there might be unexpected names on the list, the prominent figure everyone is curious about might not come as a shock.
To secure an indictment, a minimum of 12 members of the Fulton County grand jury, with at least 16 present, must believe there is probable cause for charges. As Anna Bower noted, the threshold of “probable cause” is notably low—a mere “fair probability” of criminal activity suffices.
Trump took to Truth Social on Sunday to reiterate his innocence in the Willis probe while reiterating his false assertion that voter fraud caused his 2020 election loss. In his message, he offered to present “Massive and Conclusive Proof” if the grand jury expressed interest, criticizing the District Attorney for pursuing publicity instead of justice.
