Donald Trump May Need to Make Room in His Summer Break for a Georgia Indictment: Report – Vanity Fair
Last month, Fani Willisthe Fulton County district attorney investigating Donald Trumps attempt to overturn the 2020 election in Georgiasaid she would announce any possible indictments for the ex-president and the allies who tried to help him steal a second term between July 11 and September 1. Now, she appears to have signaled even more specific timing: the first three weeks of August. Hopefully the former guy hasnt booked any nonrefundable summer travel!
The New York Times reports that, in a letter sent yesterday to 21 Fulton County officials, Willis announced that, due to security concerns surrounding her investigation and the potential criminal charges that could come from it, she will scale back staffing in her office by about 70% and have the majority of people work remotely between July 31 and August 18, when grand juries will be in session. (While a special grand jury spent months hearing evidence in the Trump investigation, Willis must now get approval from a regular grand jury for any possible indictments.) The district attorney noted in the Thursday letter that exceptions to the remote work plan would include my leadership team and all armed investigators. She added that she respectfully request(s) that judges not schedule trials and in-person hearings during the weeks beginning Monday, Aug. 7, and Monday, Aug. 14. As the Times notes, the moves suggest thatWillisis expecting a grand jury to unseal indictments during that time period. The outlet also noted that Williss timetable was already pushed back at least once as she negotiated cooperation deals, so, obviously, that could happen again; however, the dates laid out in her most recent letter seem pretty specific.
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For his part, Trumps attorneys are still trying to quash the special grand jurys final report, and get both Willis and the judge presiding over the inquiry thrown off the case. In response to that attempt, Willis wrote in a filing this week that Trump and Co. are not content to follow the ordinary course of the law. They seek to restrain a criminal investigation before any charges are filed or even sought. In February, when asked about the recommendations the special grand jury made re: which individuals should be charged, jury forewomanEmily Kohrstoldthe Timesit was not a short list. Asked whether the ex-president was on it, she added: Youre not going to be shocked. Its not rocket science. Speaking toThe Atlanta Journal-Constitutionin March, another jurorsaidof the groups report: A lots gonna come out sooner or later. And its gonna be massive. Its gonna be massive.
Last year, Willis sent a letter to the Atlanta field office of the FBI, requesting a risk assessment of the courthouse in downtown Atlanta and for the bureau to provide protective resources to include intelligence and federal agents, noting that Trump had described her and other prosecutors investigating him as vicious, horrible people during a rally and demanded protests in their cities. Shortly before his indictment by the Manhattan district attorney for a series of hush money payments he made before the 2016 election, Trump called for death and destruction. In another letter, sent to the local sheriff last month, Willis laid out the need for heightened security and preparedness in coming months due to this pending announcement.
Trump typically spends the summer at his New Jersey golf course, which would be less than a three-hour flight, should he need to show up at the courthouse to be arraigned (again).
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Donald Trump May Need to Make Room in His Summer Break for a Georgia Indictment: Report - Vanity Fair