A special grand jury that will start hearing evidence next week in the criminal inquiry into whether former President Donald J. Trump and his aides broke Georgia laws in their efforts to overturn his electoral defeat in the state is anticipated to summon up to 50 witnesses.
The trial, which is due to begin on Wednesday, will bring hundreds of summoned witnesses, both well-known and unknown, into a downtown Atlanta courthouse buzzing with extra security as a result of threats sent against the Fulton County district attorney’s office, Fani T. Willis.
Ms. Willis, a Democrat, has previously stated that Mr. Trump‘s outspoken criticism of the inquiry created a hostile atmosphere.
Georgia Secretary Of State Brad Raffensperger Is One Of Willis’ Lead Witnesses
He labeled the Georgia probe, as well as others concentrating on him, as “high-level prosecutorial malpractice” carried out by “vicious, awful individuals” during a rally in January. Staffers on the case have been supplied with bulletproof vests, according to Ms. Willis.
She stressed, though, that the inquiry was not personal in an interview on Thursday. She went on to say that she was treating Mr. Trump the same way she would any other person. Willis stressed the case’s scope. She claims that up to 50 witnesses have refused to speak with her willingly and will be subpoenaed.
The possible offenses that will be investigated go much beyond Mr. Trump’s phone call to Georgia’s secretary of state, Brad Raffensperger, on January 2, 2021. He also urged him to collect enough votes to overturn the election results. Ms. Willis is considering accusations such as racketeering and noted that such cases might bring in people who haven’t even set foot in Fulton or made a single phone call to the county.
Her detectives are also looking into the list of phony electors established by Republicans in a desperate bid to sway the state’s votes. She stated that the plot to submit phony Electoral College delegates might result in allegations of fraud, among other things.
