Yesterday, a Special Grand Jury was selected to investigate whether former President Donald Trump and other officials tried to illegally influence the 2020 election in Georgia.
The investigation has been ongoing since early last year. Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis took the unusual step of enlisting the help of a Special Grand Jury. In a letter to the chief judge, she said that Special Grand Jury could issue subpoenas to people who refused to cooperate.
The chief judge ordered the Special Grand Jury to function for one year from Monday. From the group of approximately 200 people called, 26 were chosen to serve: 23 as jurors and 3 as alternates.
Special grand juries focus on investigating a single issue and making recommendations to the district attorney, who then decides whether or not to bring an indictment before a regular grand jury.
Special Grand Jury Selection Begins on Probable Donald Trump Interference in Georgia Elections
Due to the intense public interest generated by this case, the court arranged for portions of the Jury selection process to be broadcast live. However, now that the Special Grand Jury has been selected, everything he does will be secret.
Willis has confirmed that his team is investigating a January 2021 phone call in which Trump pressured Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger to “find” the votes needed to win the state.
He also said they are looking into a November 2020 phone call between Sen. Lindsey Graham and Raffensperger, and the abrupt resignation of the Atlanta US Attorney on January 4, 2021, among other things.
It’s unclear exactly what charges Willis might bring against Trump. In a letter he sent to state officials last year, he said he was investigating “potential violations of Georgia law, which prohibits solicitation of voter fraud, making false statements to state and local government agencies, conspiracy, racketeering, violation of the oath of office and any involvement in violence or threats related to the administration of the elections.”
