– A Georgia criminal investigation into former President Donald Trump is ramping up
– Trump is facing potential felony charges for interference in the 2020 election
– The grand jury is scheduled to convene in September
The criminal investigation into former U.S President Donald Trump’s alleged interference in the 2020 election is accelerating in Georgia, as prosecutors may present the case to a grand jury in just a few weeks. Trump could face potential felony charges related to Georgia’s 2020 election interference, as the federal investigation comes to a head.
In addition to the Georgia investigation, the former President is already under legal scrutiny in New York due to his business practices. The Manhattan District Attorney’s office has charged the Trump Organization and its CFO, Allen Weisselberg, with tax fraud.
The Georgia investigation, led by Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis, is focused on Trump’s phone call to Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger in January. During the call, Trump reportedly urged Raffensperger to “find” more votes to overturn the state’s election results. The investigation is examining whether Trump’s actions violated state laws, including soliciting election fraud, making false statements to state officials, conspiracy, and racketeering, among others.
Willis’ office has retained a prosecutor, John Floyd, from a private law firm to specialize in racketeering cases. Additionally, Willis has requested that the Georgia Bureau of Investigation provide an agent to aid her in the case. Her actions signal that the investigation is picking up steam, with a grand jury expected to convene in September.
If the grand jury decides to indict Trump, the former President could face felony charges, including up to three years of prison for soliciting election fraud. However, indicting a former president would be an unprecedented event, and the outcome remains uncertain.
Sources familiar with the matter reveal that the Trump team’s repeated attempts to pressure Georgia officials to interfere in the election results are central to the investigation. Trump’s call with Raffensperger, a recorded hour-long conversation, provides crucial evidence. In the call, Trump told Raffensperger, “I just want to find 11,780 votes, which is one more than we have because we won the state.”
The former president’s attorneys have argued that Trump had the right to question the election results and was simply expressing his opinion, protected by the First Amendment. However, legal experts say that such arguments could be ineffective, considering the context of the call and the ongoing investigation.