Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis is leading a criminal investigation into former President Donald Trump’s efforts to overturn the 2020 election results in Georgia. She has obtained text messages and emails that directly link Trump’s legal team to a voting systems breach in Coffee County, a rural and heavily Republican district, in early January 2021. The breach was part of a broader plan to access sensitive voting software and find evidence of widespread fraud that could delay or invalidate Joe Biden’s electoral victory.
The messages show that the breach was not an organic effort by local Trump supporters, but a top-down push by Trump’s lawyers and hired operatives. They also reveal that the local elections official who allegedly facilitated the breach sent a “written invitation” to Trump’s attorneys six days before the unauthorized access occurred. The breach was discussed in meetings at the White House, including an Oval Office meeting on December 18, 2020, that included Trump himself.
Grand jury to hear case next week
Willis is expected to seek charges against more than a dozen individuals when her team presents its case before a grand jury next week. Several people involved in the voting systems breach in Coffee County are among those who may face charges in the sprawling criminal probe. The charges could include conspiracy, racketeering, solicitation of election fraud, false statements, and violation of oath of office.
The grand jury hearing is the strongest indication yet that prosecutors are preparing to issue indictments in the coming days. Willis has notified at least two witnesses to appear before the grand jury on Tuesday. One of them is Frances Watson, the chief investigator for Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, who received a phone call from Trump on January 2, 2021, in which he pressured her to “find” votes for him. The other witness is Jordan Fuchs, the deputy secretary of state, who was also on the call.
Trump reacts with fury and false attacks
Trump has reacted with fury and false attacks to the news of Willis’ investigation. He has launched a series of derogatory and defamatory statements against Willis on his Truth Social platform, accusing her of having an affair with a gang member, being corrupt, and being part of a “witch hunt”. He has also claimed that he won Georgia by a landslide and that the election was rigged by Democrats.
Willis has responded by telling her staff to ignore Trump’s lies and focus on their work. She has also filed a motion to prevent Trump from making any inflammatory statements that could interfere with the investigation or influence potential jurors. She has argued that Trump’s statements pose a threat to the integrity of the judicial process and the safety of witnesses and prosecutors.
Implications for Trump’s legal woes
The Georgia probe is one of several legal challenges that threaten to derail Trump’s latest presidential bid. He is also facing a criminal indictment by a special counsel in Washington DC for his role in inciting the January 6 insurrection at the Capitol. The special counsel has proposed a trial date of January 2, 2024, just weeks before the Iowa caucuses.
In addition, Trump is facing civil lawsuits from several women who have accused him of sexual misconduct, as well as investigations by state attorneys general in New York and Virginia over his business dealings and tax returns. He is also facing scrutiny from congressional committees over his attempts to undermine democracy and his response to the Covid-19 pandemic.
