Georgia DA requests special grand jury for Trump election probe
Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis is requesting a special grand jury to assist in her investigation into former President Donald Trump and his efforts to overturn the result of the 2020 presidential election in Georgia.
In a letter sent Thursday to Fulton County Superior Court Chief Judge Christopher Brasher, Willis wrote that her office has "received information indicating a reasonable probability that the state of Georgia's administration of elections in 2020, including the state's election of the president of the United States, was subject to possible criminal disruptions."
She asked Brasher to impanel a special grand jury, which would have the power to subpoena witnesses, because they can serve a term longer than a normal grand jury, The Associated Press reports.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
On Jan. 2, 2021, Trump called Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger (R) and implored him to "find" the 11,780 votes necessary to reverse President Biden's win in the state. During an interview with AP this month, Willis confirmed that her investigation's scope includes the call between Trump and Raffensperger; a November 2020 phone call between Trump ally Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) and Raffensperger; and the sudden resignation of the U.S. attorney in Atlanta on Jan. 4, 2021.
In a statement released Thursday, Trump described his call to Raffensperger as "perfect," and repeated his false claim that there was widespread voter fraud in Georgia; election officials in the state have said repeatedly there is no evidence to back up Trump's allegations.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Catherine Garcia has worked as a senior writer at The Week since 2014. Her writing and reporting have appeared in Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, Wirecutter, NBC News and "The Book of Jezebel," among others. She's a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.
-
Today's political cartoons - November 3, 2024
Cartoons Sunday's cartoons - presidential pitching, wavering convictions, and more
By The Week US Published
-
Why Man United finally lost patience with ten Hag
Talking Point After another loss United sacked ten Hag in hopes of success in the Champion's League
By The Week UK Published
-
Who are the markets backing in the US election?
Talking Point Speculators are piling in on the Trump trade. A Harris victory would come as a surprise
By The Week UK Published
-
Who are the markets backing in the US election?
Talking Point Speculators are piling in on the Trump trade. A Harris victory would come as a surprise
By The Week UK Published
-
What might a Trump victory mean for the global economy?
Today's Big Question A second term in office for the 'America First' administration would send shockwaves far beyond the United States' shores
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
North Korea tests ICBM, readies troops in Ukraine
Speed Read Thousands of North Korean troops are likely to join Russian action against Ukraine
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Women take center stage in campaign finale
Speed Read Harris and Trump are trading gender attacks in the final days before the election
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
US election: who the billionaires are backing
The Explainer More have endorsed Kamala Harris than Donald Trump, but among the 'ultra-rich' the split is more even
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
How GOP election denial thrives in 2024
In the Spotlight Cleta Mitchell aided Donald Trump's efforts in 2020. She's back.
By Joel Mathis, The Week US Published
-
Life in the post-truth era
Opinion The mainstream media can't hold back a tsunami of misinformation
By Theunis Bates Published
-
Supreme Court allows purge of Virginia voter rolls
Speed Read Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R) is purging some 1,600 people from state voter rolls days before the election
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published