Georgia grand jury recommends indictments in Trump probe into election interference

The forewoman of a special jury in Georgia investigating then-President Donald Trump and his allies’ efforts to overturn the 2020 election loss says “one or more witnesses” will be indicted, first reported by the New York Times

“It’s not a short list,” said foreman Emily Kohrs, adding that the jury appended eight pages of the statute code “which we quoted at various points in the report.”

Following the release of part of the report last week, Kohrs says there are still seven sections that remain sealed with indictment recommendations.

These sections are silent on important details, including who the panel believes committed perjury and what other specific charges should be pursued. But it is the first time the grand jury’s recommendations for criminal charges related to the case have been released. And it’s a reminder of the deepening legal challenges the former president faces as he ramps up his third bid for the White House amid multiple legal investigations.

Former President Donald Trump recently called for “full exoneration” after the report’s partial release, although that was not the case and portions related to recommended charges are still classified.

Rudy Giuliani, attorney for former President Donald J. Trump and former mayor of New York City, testified in the Georgia grand jury investigation into Trump’s election interference attempts

Trump is also under investigation by the US Department of Justice for storing classified documents at his Florida estate.

Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis has said since the investigation began two years ago that she was interested in a Jan. 2, 2021 phone call in which Trump suggested to Raffensperger he could “find” the votes needed to to reverse its loss the state.

“All I want to do is this: I just want to find 11,780 votes, that’s one more than we have,” Trump said during the call. “Because we won the state.”

Trump has repeatedly said his conversation with Raffensperger was “perfect” and that he is “very confident” he will not be charged.

In fact, he claimed on his social media platform Truth Social that the release gave him “total exoneration,” although that was not the case and portions related to recommended charges are still classified.

The grand jury that asked Willis to assist in her investigation met in May and presented its report to Fulton County Superior Court Judge Robert McBurney on December 15. The panel has no power to bring charges. Instead, his report includes recommendations for Willis, who will ultimately decide whether to bring one or more indictments to a regular grand jury.

Over the course of about seven months, the special grand jurors heard 75 witnesses, including Trump allies, including former New York Mayor and Trump attorney Rudy Giuliani and US Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina. High-ranking Georgian officials such as Raffensperger and Kemp also appeared before the panel.

Graham recently told reporters that he has not been contacted by authorities regarding his testimony. “I am confident that I have spoken openly and honestly,” he said.