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☆ Embattled Georgia DA Fani Willis and Trump trial judge hit the campaign trail
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-15 | by ( Sara Murray | Jason Morris | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

Wise Smith, meantime, has faced some skepticism from voters worried that if he ousts Willis it could endanger the Trump case. The disqualification drama surrounding Willis hasn’t spared Wise Smith from skepticism from some Democrats who believe Willis will most aggressively prosecute the Trump case. “Some folks were worried that me jumping in the race, you know, might mean we lose that case,” Wise Smith said in an interview with CNN. Let me say this, I think the case is in grave jeopardy right now,” Wise Smith said of the Trump case. In a rarity for a sitting judge, McAfee has also been granting interviews to local media.

Persons: Donald Trump, Fani Willis, Scott McAfee, ” Willis, “, Trump, Willis, Christian Wise Smith, Willis ’, Wise Smith, McAfee, Robert Patillo, he’s, Courtney Kramer, ”, Michael J, Moore, she’s, Willis hasn’t, ” Wise Smith, Wise Smith –, –, ” McAfee, wouldn’t, “ I’ve, Patillo’s, ” Patillo, “ It’s, Patillo, Brian Kemp, Roy Barnes, Kemp, Barnes, Ray Smith III, Smith, ” Moore, that’s Organizations: CNN, Democratic Party, Democratic, Trump, Trump White House, Middle, Middle District of, WSB, Georgia Gov, Republican, Democrat, McAfee, Boy Scouts Locations: Georgia, Fulton County, Middle District, Middle District of Georgia, Inman

A gag order against one of Trump’s biggest foes could score political points and help him and his co-defendants in the short term. Then, McAfee appeared to suggest a gag order may be necessary. “I don’t know a reason to have a gag order right now,” Parker told CNN. The former president already faces a gag order in his criminal hush money case that’s headed to trial later this month in New York. And several other defendants in the Georgia case, including former Trump attorney Rudy Giuliani and former Georgia GOP Chairman David Shafer, have offered commentary on the case and Willis on social media.

Persons: Donald Trump, Fani Willis, Willis, juggles, Trump, Scott McAfee, ” Willis, McAfee, Nathan Wade, Wade, Wade’s, ”, I’ve, ” McAfee, Willis ’, Steve Sadow, Michael J, Moore, ” Moore, they’ve, Buddy Parker, John Eastman, hasn’t, ” Parker, “, ” Willis ’, ‘, ’ ” McAfee, Rudy Giuliani, David Shafer Organizations: CNN, Trump, McAfee, Middle, Georgia GOP, gander Locations: Georgia, Atlanta, Fulton County, Middle District, Trump, “, New York, we’re

☆ Live updates: Fani Willis ruling on Georgia Trump election case
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-15 | by ( ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +1 min

Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis speaks at a press conference next to prosecutor Nathan Wade after a Grand Jury brought back indictments against former president Donald Trump and his allies in their attempt to overturn the state's 2020 election results, in Atlanta. Elijah Nouvelage/Reuters/FileDuring testimony last month, Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis described the end of her relationship with special prosecutor Nathan Wade, whom she hired to help prosecute the 2020 election interference case against former President Donald Trump. Both Wade and Willis said the relationship ended in summer 2023. Willis implied that the physical component ended earlier in the summer, but that the two had a “tough conversation” that fully ended things afterward. “We would have brutal arguments about the fact that I am your equal,” she told the judge about her conversations with Wade.

Persons: Fani Willis, Nathan Wade, Donald Trump, Elijah Nouvelage, Wade, Willis, sully, ” Willis, ” Locations: Fulton County, Atlanta

CNN —Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis can stay on and prosecute the Georgia 2020 election interference racketeering case against former President Donald Trump and 14 of his co-defendants, Judge Scott McAfee ruled Friday, but only if she removes the special prosecutor with whom she engaged in a romantic relationship. CNN has reached out to the district attorney’s office regarding the next steps in the case. Wilis chose to dedicate much of her energy on what she believed was the most important case: prosecuting Trump for his attempts to steal the Georgia election in 2020. But the next 40 non-racketeering charges stemmed from roughly a dozen key incidents after the 2020 election. Trump and 14 of his allies have pleaded not guilty to all the charges in the sprawling racketeering case.

Persons: Fani Willis, Donald Trump, Scott McAfee, Willis, Nathan Wade, Trump, Willis ’, McAfee, ” McAfee, Wade, “, Wade “, Fulton, CNN Ashleigh Merchant, Mike Roman, Merchant, sully, ” Willis, ”, Wilis, Brad Raffensperger, Raffensperger, Mike Pence Organizations: CNN, Court, Trump, Jail, Department Locations: Fulton County, Georgia, Atlanta, reimbursements, Wade’s, Fulton, Coffee County , Georgia

But McAfee’s 23-page opinion was a scathing rebuke of the district attorney’s actions, and it remains unclear if Trump will face trial before November on his actions after the 2020 presidential election. McAfee ruled that either Wade or Willis would have to leave the case, as an “odor of mendacity remains” over the circumstances of their relationship. “A perceived conflict in the reasonable eyes of the public threatens confidence in the legal system itself,” McAfee wrote Friday. “An outsider could reasonably think that the District Attorney is not exercising her independent professional judgment totally free of any compromising influences. As long as Wade remains on the case, this unnecessary perception will persist,” McAfee wrote.

Persons: Scott McAfee, Fani Willis, Donald Trump –, Nathan Wade, Willis, Wade, It’s, Trump, McAfee, ”, Mike Roman, Willis ’, ” McAfee, Willis wasn’t, Willis –, SADA, untruthfully, Wade “, “, Will Wade, there’s, –, ” CNN’s Devan Cole Organizations: CNN, White House, Trump, Manhattan District, US, Attorney, District, District Attorney, ” Locations: Fulton County, Georgia, Washington, New York, –, reimbursements, Atlanta

☆ Where Old Vegas is still alive today
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-03 | by ( Matt Villano | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +11 min

MuseumsMuseums are obvious celebrations of the past, and in Las Vegas, these two museums have direct links to the Vegas of old. At the Neon Museum, Old Vegas is showcased in the form of neon signs. Other attractionsSeveral other sights and destinations around Las Vegas keep the city’s past alive in this modern age. At one point every casino in Las Vegas had a machine like this one; today this is the only coin-operated iteration left. Finally, the most recognizable throwback to Old Vegas might be the neon “Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas” sign at the south end of the Las Vegas Strip near Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino.

Persons: upstage Travis, Taylor, Usher, Jackie Gaughan, Kenny Epstein, Epstein, Gaughan, “, ”, you’ve, Bugsy Siegel, Meyer Lansky, La Concha, Caesar, Chris Welsch, Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr, Sinatra, Hugo’s, El Cortez, Barbara Streisand’s, Bauer, Griffin, Vegas Vickie, Vickie, Derek Stevens, Vic, Betty Willis, YESCO Organizations: CNN, Sin, Bellagio, Vegas, Eiffel, El, Fremont Street, National Register of Historic Places, Casino, Hotel, Museums, Mob Museum, National Museum of, US Post Office, Commerce, Neon Museum, Las, Virgin Hotels, Minneapolis Star Tribune, Italian American, Four Queens Casino, Las Vegas, Sigma Derby, Fremont Locations: Sin City, Las Vegas, Paris, Vegas, Hotel Nevada, Fremont Street, America, Old Vegas, Sahara, Virgin Hotels Las Vegas, Las, Fremont, Mandalay

☆ A tempestuous day in multiple courts deepens Trump’s legal imbroglio
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-16 | by ( Stephen Collinson | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

Washington CNN —Every day, America gets dragged deeper into Donald Trump’s legal, political and constitutional morass. But at the end of a tempestuous day, his legal strategy was clearer than ever. In itself, it represents a profound political and legal test for American democracy and the rule of law – even if it is only one of Trump’s legal threats. In a normal election, Trump would be keen to turn his fire on his likely general election foe, Biden, by late March. But he will be forced to spend day after day in court in New York.

Persons: Donald Trump’s, Fani Willis, Trump’s, Michael Roman, Willis, Nathan Wade, ” Darryl Cohen, CNN’s Erin Burnett, “, ” Cohen, Wade, Trump, Caroline Polisi, Robin Yeartie –, Willis –, ” Polisi, CNN’s Anderson Cooper, –, ” Willis, Judge Juan Merchan, Biden, he’s, Alvin Bragg’s, Todd Blanche, Merchan, ” Merchan, ” Blanche, he’ll, David Weiss, Hunter Biden’s, Alexander Smirnov, Harry Reid, Smirnov Organizations: Washington CNN, Trump, Fulton, District, Republican, FBI, Burisma Holdings, Harry Reid International, GOP Locations: America, Georgia, Fulton Country , Georgia, Fulton County, York, Trump, United States, Manhattan, New York, Las Vegas

‘I’m not on trial,’ Willis saysWillis seized several opportunities to defend herself. She said at the beginning of her testimony that she was “very anxious” to defend herself, “so I ran to the courtroom.”“You think I’m on trial,” Willis said, in her sharpest pushback of the day. Video Ad Feedback Hear what legal expert thinks about Fani Willis' testimony 03:39 - Source: CNNWhen did the relationship start? Bryant-Yeartie said she observed “hugging, kissing, close affection” between Willis and Wade prior to 2022, when they claimed their romantic relationship began. Trump lawyer Steven Sadow asked Willis about the breakup, eliciting an answer that revealed sexist remarks that Wade allegedly made to Willis in the past.

Persons: Donald Trump, Fani Willis, Scott McAfee, Trump’s, Willis, Nathan Wade, Trump, Willis ’, Wade, Willis didn’t, McAfee, ” Willis, “ You’ve, Ashleigh Merchant, ‘ I’m, ’ Willis, “, “ I’m, ”, Michael Roman, Robin Bryant, Bryant, Yeartie, Clinton, salaciously, ” Wade, reimbursements Wade, there’s, smirking, Craig Gillen, ” Gillen, Gillen, Steven Sadow, ’ ” Willis, Sadow, Rudy Giuliani, Mark Meadows, CNN’s Zachary Cohen, Jason Morris, Nick Valencia, Hannah Rabinowitz, Maxime Tamsett, Shirin Faqiri, Jim Rogers, Sarah Davis, Eva Roytburg, Fabiana Chaparro Organizations: CNN, Trump, Electoral College, Trump –, GOP Locations: Georgia, Fulton County, San Francisco, Miami, Belize, Bahamas, New York, Atlanta, York

☆ With Everything on the Line, Fani Willis Delivered Raw Testimony
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-15 | by ( Richard Fausset | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Fani T. Willis walked unaccompanied through the front door of a Fulton County courtroom on Thursday afternoon in a bright magenta dress and announced she was ready to testify. She was interrupting her lawyer, who at that very moment was trying to convince a judge that she should not have to testify at all. “I’m going to go,” Ms. Willis said. In a raw performance, Ms. Willis, 52, presented herself as a woman in full — by turns combative and serene, focused and discursive (at one point she declared her preference for Grey Goose vodka over wine). At one point her voice approached a yell, prompting Scott McAfee, the mild-mannered judge, to call a five-minute recess in an apparent effort to cool things down.

Persons: Willis, “ I’m, ” Ms, Donald J, Ashleigh Merchant, Nathan J, Wade, Scott McAfee Organizations: Trump Locations: Fulton, Fulton County ,

☆ Trump Georgia prosecutor admits romantic relationship with Atlanta D.A. boss
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-02 | by ( Kevin Breuninger | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

said, but had "no personal relationship" in November 2021, when Wade became special prosecutor in the case. "There was no personal relationship between District Attorney Willis and me prior to or at the time of my appointment as special prosecutor in 2021," Wade wrote. "No funds paid to me in compensation for my role as Special Prosecutor have been shared with or provided to District Attorney Willis." "At times I have made and purchased travel for District Attorney Willis and myself from my personal funds. At other times District Attorney Willis has made and purchased travel for she and I from her personal funds."

Persons: Fani Willis, Nathan Wade, Donald Trump, Willis, Trump's, Wade, Trump, Joe Biden, Michael Roman, Fulton, Ashleigh Merchant, Attorney Willis, Merchant Organizations: Atlanta District, Fulton County Superior Court, Attorney Locations: Fulton County, Atlanta , Georgia, U.S, Atlanta, Georgia

☆ Atlanta DA Defends Hiring of Special Prosecutor in Trump Case
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-14 | by ( Nicole Friedman | Mariah Timms | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

District Attorney Fani Willis said the lead lawyer she had hired had worked as a judge, private-practice attorney, prosecutor and criminal-defense lawyer. Photo: Brynn Anderson/Associated PressFulton County, Ga., District Attorney Fani Willis defended her decision to hire Nathan Wade as a special prosecutor, saying in a speech Sunday morning that the lead lawyer in her office’s racketeering case against former President Donald Trump and others is well qualified to serve in the role. One of the defendants in the case alleged in a court filing last week that Wade and Willis had been in a continuing romantic relationship since before Willis hired Wade, and that both had benefited financially from the arrangement. The filing also alleged that Wade didn’t have the proper experience for the job.

Persons: Fani Willis, Brynn Anderson, Nathan Wade, Donald Trump, Wade, Willis, Wade didn’t Organizations: Associated Press Locations: Associated Press Fulton County ,

☆ DA Fani Willis defends prosecutor she hired for Trump's Georgia election case amid allegations of an 'improper' relationship
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-14 | by ( Lloyd Lee | Associated Press | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Fulton County DA Fani Willis was accused of having an "improper" relationship with a prosecutor. Willis appointed the prosecutor, Nathan Wade, to oversee the RICO case against Trump. The motion seeks to dismiss the indictment and disqualify Willis and Wade and their offices from further prosecuting the case. Willis said she hired three special prosecutors for the election case: a white man, a white woman, and a Black man. If Willis financially benefited from her relationship with Wade, that may be an ethics violation," he said.

Persons: Fani Willis, Willis, Nathan Wade, —, Sunday, Donald Trump, Martin Luther King Jr, Ashleigh Merchant, Michael Roman, Merchant, Wade, Fulton, Scott McAfee, Steve Sadow, King, she's, I'm, Pete Skandalakis, McAfee, Stephen Gillers, Trump Organizations: Fulton, Trump, Service, Big Bethel AME Church, White, New York Univerity Law School, Atlanta Locations: Fulton County, Georgia, Big Bethel, Atlanta, New York

☆ Bruce Willis' wife, Emma Heming Willis, shares update on star's condition
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-25 | by ( Jack Guy | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —It’s “hard to know” whether Hollywood star Bruce Willis is aware that he is suffering with frontotemporal dementia (FTD), his wife, Emma Heming Willis, has said in an update on his condition. Speaking to Hoda Kotb on the Today show on NBC Monday, Heming Willis described how the diagnosis has affected the couple and their two daughters. Kotb also asked how the diagnosis had affected Heming Willis. After retiring from acting in March 2022 due to a speaking disorder called aphasia, Willis was diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia, his family announced in February this year. “Since we announced Bruce’s diagnosis of aphasia in spring 2022, Bruce’s condition has progressed,” the Willis family said in a statement at the time.

Persons: Bruce Willis, Emma Heming Willis, Kotb, Heming Willis, It’s, Bruce, ”, ” Kotb, ” Heming Willis, Susan Dickinson, Dickinson, “, it’s, Mabel, Evelyn, ” “ Bruce, Willis Organizations: CNN, Hollywood, NBC, Association, Alzheimer’s Research, US National Institute, Aging

☆ Opinion: Why Lindsey Graham wasn’t indicted
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-11 | by ( Dennis Aftergut | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

(It shouldn’t be confused with the regular grand jury, whose duty it was to decide whether to indict those under criminal investigation.) The special grand jury completed its duties in December. Using the extra layer of a special grand jury is often reserved for complex corruption cases. There are multiple explanations for why some people may not have been indicted despite the special grand jury’s recommendations. Willis may simply have not presented to the regular grand jury some individuals she considered less than provably guilty.

Persons: Dennis Aftergut, Fani Willis, Donald Trump, Trump, Trump’s, Sen, Lindsey Graham of, David Perdue, Kelly Loeffler, Michael Flynn, Boris Epshteyn, Cleta Mitchell, Fulton County’s, Perdue, “, indicting, Loeffler, Graham, Willis, Flynn, Epshteyn, Mitchell, Rudy Giuliani, Mark Meadows, ” Organizations: Defending American Democracy, CNN, Fulton County, Trump, Georgia, New York City, Trump White House, Twitter Locations: Fulton, Georgia, Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, Sens, New York

☆ Takeaways from the full Georgia special grand jury report on 2020 election subversion
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-08 | by ( Jeremy Herb | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

CNN —The Fulton County special purpose grand jury investigating former President Donald Trump’s efforts to overturn his 2020 election loss in Georgia recommended charges against 39 people, the unredacted grand jury report made public Friday shows. The lengthy list of recommended charges underscores how widespread the special grand jury’s investigation was into efforts to overturn the 2020 election. The indictment also included 30 unindicted co-conspirators alleged to have taken part in the conspiracy, including some people the special grand jury recommended charges against. The special grand jury report was only a recommendation, and the district attorney decided which charges to bring to a grand jury last month before the indictment was returned. The charges against the fake electors were among the most contested in the special grand jury report.

Persons: Donald Trump’s, Fani Willis, South Carolina Republican Lindsey Graham, David Perdue, Kelly Loeffler, Michael Flynn, Boris Epshteyn, Cleta Mitchell, Trump, ” Willis, Willis ’, Willis, Graham, Loeffler, Perdue, Brad Raffensperger, Raffensperger, Graham “, ” Graham, “, ”, ” Loeffler, Brian Kemp, Burt Jones, Wills, Jones, Pete Skandalakis, – David Shafer, Cathy Latham, Sen, Shawn Still – Organizations: CNN, Trump, South Carolina Republican, Georgia Gov, Gov, of Locations: Fulton, Georgia, Fulton County, Atlanta, South Carolina, of Georgia

But the members of the special grand jury, operating in secrecy behind closed doors, didn't have to contend with those pressures. The report includes a breakdown of the number of “yea” and “nay” votes, as well as abstentions, for each count for which the special grand jurors recommended charges. Special grand jurors voted against indicting most of the fake electors. While juror vote tallies are important to obtain an indictment from a regular grand jury or a conviction at trial, the special grand jurors weren’t required to include them at all. And the special grand jury report contained vote totals only for charges that the panel ultimately recommended, not any that the panel rejected.

Persons: Fani Willis, Georgia's, Willis, indicting Sen, Lindsey Graham of, Kelly Loeffler, David Perdue, Michael Flynn, Donald Trump, Rudy Giuliani, Mark Meadows, Trump, Anthony Michael Kreis, Perdue, Loeffler, Kreis, Graham, ”, weren’t, ” Perdue, there’s, ’ ”, ___ Kinnard, ___ Meg Kinnard Organizations: ATLANTA, Trump, New York, Trump White House, Republican, Georgia State University, Graham, indicting, Loeffler Locations: Fulton County, Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, Georgia, Columbia , South Carolina

☆ Mark Meadows asks judge to dismiss charges in Georgia RICO case, saying he was just doing his job as Trump's chief of staff
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-21 | by ( Jacob Shamsian | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Lawyers for Mark Meadows asked a judge to dismiss the criminal charges against him. He faces RICO charges in Georgia for his efforts in Trump's scheme to overturn election results. His lawyers say he was just doing his job as Trump's chief of staff. Even if state officials like Willis deem his activities as breaking state law, they're consistent with federal law and therefore protected, according to his lawyers. "Even if they had, moreover, a federal official does not lose Supremacy Clause immunity based on a violation of federal law where the violation was not clear and willful."

Persons: Mark Meadows, Donald Trump's, Meadows, Trump, Fani Willis, Steve C, Jones, Barack Obama, Jones hasn't, he's, Justice Elana Kagan, Willis, Jack Smith Organizations: Service, Trump, Georgia, US, Supreme, of Locations: Georgia, Wall, Silicon, Atlanta, Fulton County, United States, It's, Meadows, of Georgia

☆ Geoff Duncan: Former Georgia lieutenant governor to testify before Fulton County grand jury in 2020 election probe Tuesday
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-12 | by ( Sara Murray Jeremy Herb Marshall Cohen | Sara Murray | Jeremy Herb | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

Former Georgia Lt. Gov Geoff Duncan, a Republican, said Saturday on CNN that he has been told to appear Tuesday before a Fulton County grand jury to testify about the efforts by Trump and his allies. Independent journalist George Chidi posted on social media later Saturday that he’d been told to appear before the grand jury on Tuesday too. The witnesses Willis has subpoenaed to testify when she presents her case include Duncan, Chidi and former Georgia state Sen. Jen Jordan, a Democrat. Georgia law is unusual in that special purpose grand juries – which have broad investigative powers – are not permitted to issue indictments. When the subpoenaed witnesses appear before the regular grand jury, those grand jurors will hear the witnesses’ testimony for the first time with a narrower purpose at hand: to approve or reject indictments.

Persons: Washington CNN —, Donald Trump, Geoff Duncan, Trump, George Chidi, he’d, Fani Willis, “, ” Duncan, CNN’s Fredricka Whitfield, I’ll, Willis, Brad Raffensperger, Jack, Duncan, Chidi, Sen, Jen Jordan Organizations: Washington CNN, Republican, CNN, Independent, Georgia, Trump, Democrat Locations: Washington CNN — An Atlanta, Georgia, Former Georgia, Fulton County, Fulton, Coffee County , Georgia, Lago, Florida, New York, Atlanta

July 31 (Reuters) - The judge presiding over a Georgia grand jury investigation into Donald Trump on Monday rejected the former U.S. president's bid to disqualify the lead prosecutor and block any indictments stemming from the probe, which is expected to yield charges in the coming weeks. Trump's lawyers have filed a separate long-shot bid to disqualify Willis that will be heard by another judge next week. The special grand jury was convened at Willis's request to aid in her investigation. The jury, which had subpoena power but not the authority to issue charges, heard testimony from dozens of witnesses. Reporting by Joseph Ax; Additional reporting by Rami Ayyub; Editing by Howard Goller and Lisa ShumakerOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Donald Trump, Robert McBurney, Georgia's, Democrat Joe Biden, Fani Willis, Trump, Willis, Rudy Giuliani, Biden, McBurney, Joseph Ax, Rami Ayyub, Howard Goller, Lisa Shumaker Organizations: Monday, Democrat, Fulton, Trump, Thomson Locations: Georgia, U.S, Fulton County

☆ Atlanta DA Fights Trump’s Bid to End Election Interference Probe
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-16 | by ( Jan Wolfe | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Fani Willis has been investigating alleged election interference by Donald Trump and his allies for about two years. Photo: Brynn Anderson/Associated PressWASHINGTON—Atlanta-area prosecutor Fani Willis defended her investigation of Donald Trump, urging a judge to reject the former president’s request to disqualify her from further probing efforts to overturn the November 2020 presidential election. In a legal brief submitted on Monday, Ms. Willis, a Democrat, said there was no basis in Georgia law for Mr. Trump’s request to have her blocked from continuing her investigation.

☆ Parts of report on Trump's Georgia election meddling to be released
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-16 | by ( Joseph Ax | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Feb 16 (Reuters) - Parts of a Georgia grand jury report on former U.S. President Donald Trump's attempts to overturn his 2020 election defeat in the state are due to be made public on Thursday, though a judge has ordered that any recommendations on criminal charges be kept secret. McBurney said the report includes "a roster of who should (or should not) be indicted." Trump, who has launched another run for the White House in 2024, has made false claims that the 2020 election was stolen from him through widespread voting fraud. At a January court hearing on whether to release the report, Willis said charging decisions were "imminent." Trump on Jan. 2, 2021, called Georgia's top election official, Brad Raffensperger, and repeated his false claims the election results were fraudulent.

☆ Georgia special grand jury wants criminal charges for witnesses it believes may have lied under oath in Trump probe
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-16 | by ( Sonam Sheth | Jacob Shamsian | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

A special grand jury in Georgia found that "one or more witnesses" who appeared before it may have committed perjury. "The Grand Jury recommends that the District Attorney seek appropriate indictments for such crimes where the evidence is compelling." Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis empaneled the grand jury in May 2022 in Atlanta. Willis must now decide whether to bring indictmentsWhile the special grand jury had vast investigative powers, it didn't have the ability to bring indictments. Willis is now tasked with reviewing the special grand jury's report and deciding whether to bring it in front of an ordinary grand jury, which may decide whether to issue criminal charges.

☆ Georgia judge to release parts of report on Trump's efforts to overturn election
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-13 | by ( Joseph Ax | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst/File PhotoFeb 13 (Reuters) - Portions of a Georgia special grand jury's report on Donald Trump's efforts to overturn the state's 2020 election should be publicly released, but any recommendations on criminal charges will remain sealed for now, a state judge ruled on Monday. But he declined for now to release the full report, including any recommendations as to whether individuals should be charged. He cited concern about the due process rights of witnesses or potential defendants who were not afforded a full chance to respond to allegations during the grand jury process. Trump was not subpoenaed and did not testify to the grand jury. The special grand jury was convened last year at Willis' request as an investigative tool, in part because it had the authority to subpoena witnesses.

It is not clear whether the special grand jury's findings will lead to criminal charges against Trump or anyone else for election interference. Members of the special grand jury voted to recommend the public release of their findings. In a statement on Monday, his Georgia-based legal team said the grand jury never subpoenaed Trump or asked him to appear voluntarily. The special grand jury had subpoena power to gather evidence and compel witness testimony but did not have the authority to issue indictments. If Willis determines that charges are warranted based on the findings, she could seek indictments from a regular grand jury.

The special purpose grand jury is different than a typical grand jury — it submits its findings in a report to Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis, who then decides whether to present evidence to a grand jury for criminal indictments. Willis called for the special grand jury last year because the panel had the power to issue subpoenas to force witnesses to testify. Because we won the state,” Trump said in the call. Trump has maintained he did nothing wrong in the Raffensperger call and described it as “perfect.”It's unclear when the grand jury report might become public. McBurney's order said the grand jury "certified that it voted to recommend that its report be published."

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