Will Trump finally be indicted in Georgia?

[ZiprHead]

Fulton County investigators have another recording of a Trump phone call pressuring a Georgia official

Fulton County investigators have an audio recording of a phone call that former President Donald Trump made to the Georgia House speaker to push for a special session to overturn Democrat Joe Biden’s 2020 victory in the state, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

The Fulton County special grand jury, which investigated Trump’s actions in the state after the 2020 election, heard the recording of Trump’s call to David Ralston, according to five of the jurors who spoke anonymously to the AJC. A source confirmed to CNN the existence of the recording, which hasn’t been made public.

The recording adds to what’s known about the pressure campaign by Trump and his allies on Georgia officials. It’s the third audio recording of the former president’s phone calls to Georgia officials that is known to exist.

The special grand jury recently concluded its work and recommended multiple indictments, according to the foreperson who has spoken out publicly. Now it’s up to Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis to make charging decisions.

Ralston, who died last year, described his December 2020 call with Trump during an interview the following day.

There is also a recording of Trump’s call to a top investigator with the Georgia secretary of state’s office in December, 2020, while they were looking into allegations of irregularities with signature-matching in Cobb County, in the Atlanta metropolitan area.

In that phone call, Trump urged the investigator to look for fraud in the 2020 presidential election, telling her that she would be “praised” for overturning results that were in favor of Biden. Audit results in Cobb County found no fraudulent ballots or wrongdoing.

The special grand jury investigation was launched by the Fulton County district attorney after audio was made public of an infamous hour-long phone call in which Trump pressured Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger to “find” the exact number of votes needed to overturn Biden’s victory and suggested that he publicly announce that he “recalculated” the election results.

 

[ZiprHead]

Georgia prosecutors considering racketeering and conspiracy charges in probe of effort to overturn Trump’s 2020 loss, source says

Atlanta-area prosecutors are considering bringing racketeering and conspiracy charges in connection with Donald Trump’s effort to overturn the 2020 election in Georgia, according to a source with knowledge of the investigation.

Investigators have a large volume of substantial evidence related to a possible conspiracy from inside and outside the state, including recordings of phone calls, emails, text messages, documents, and testimony before a special grand jury.

Their work, the source said, underscores the belief that the push to help Trump was not just a grassroots effort that originated inside the state.

Some of the folks on the Grand Jury have said if people knew the things they know they don't think the country would be as nearly divided as it is.

 

[ZiprHead]

Trump could get a pardon. In Georgia, the Governor, sometimes Trump loyalist Brian Kemp, does not have the power to issue pardons. That power resides within the Georgia State Board of Pardons and Paroles, a five-member board of appointees by the Governor. The current Board has two Black members, all of whom have experience as prosecutors in Georgia.

The Board has a history of being free with pardons; between 2013–2018, they issued 3,449 pardons covering over 7,000 offenses. Recent scrutiny has caused the Board to be more strict since 2018. There is a set of guidelines, including one stating someone isn't eligible for a pardon until completing their entire sentence. Lest you think that means Trump would have to serve time, there is still the possibility of parole.

 

[T.G.G. Moogly]

I could actually understand Tiny Orange Face getting paroled, but he better have that ankle bracelet on so his parole officer can find him.

Now I wish I had taken a different career path.

 

[Jarhyn]

I could actually understand Tiny Orange Face getting paroled, but he better have that ankle bracelet on so his parole officer can find him.

Now I wish I had taken a different career path.

Why, when you can locate him across the country from the smell?

 

[SLD]

Trump could get a pardon. In Georgia, the Governor, sometimes Trump loyalist Brian Kemp, does not have the power to issue pardons. That power resides within the Georgia State Board of Pardons and Paroles, a five-member board of appointees by the Governor. The current Board has two Black members, all of whom have experience as prosecutors in Georgia.

The Board has a history of being free with pardons; between 2013–2018, they issued 3,449 pardons covering over 7,000 offenses. Recent scrutiny has caused the Board to be more strict since 2018. There is a set of guidelines, including one stating someone isn't eligible for a pardon until completing their entire sentence. Lest you think that means Trump would have to serve time, there is still the possibility of parole.

Yeah, but there’s still a lot of discretion on the part of prosecutors to make plea deals. Trump hasn’t committed an act of violence. In a lot of such situations the prosecutor starts with a felony and agrees to reduce it to a misdemeanor. Pay a fine and court costs, but receive a suspended sentence.

Of course Trump can’t do that or he risks admitting wrongdoing. His ego won’t let him.

 

[Elixir]

there’s still a lot of discretion on the part of prosecutors to make plea deals.

That might be relevant if there was a snowball’s chance in hell that Trump would ever admit guilt. That would be like admitting he lost an election.
He could shoot someone in broad daylight in the middle of 5th avenue. He‘d deny it and his idiots would believe the video was faked, the witnesses were paid by George Soros and the cops that arrested him should be shot for treason, just as he said.

Trump can’t do that or he risks admitting wrongdoing.

Xactly.

 

[southernhybrid]

The AJC keeps saying that Willis will decide whether or not to indict, I mean indicate /s, by the end of April. I'm not a lawyer, but I do wonder why this is taking so long, considering the overwhelming evidence, and the months spent by the Grand Jury pondering over this.

 

[ZiprHead]

I heard recently Fani will bring charges by the end of this month. Fingers crossed.

 

[Cheerful Charlie]

The AJC keeps saying that Willis will decide whether or not to indict, I mean indicate /s, by the end of April. I'm not a lawyer, but I do wonder why this is taking so long, considering the overwhelming evidence, and the months spent by the Grand Jury pondering over this.

Because the Trump rape case of Jean Caroll starts April 25. Trump may be too busy to go to court in Georgia right now. There are actually 2 trials in this case. One for rape, the other for defamation. One has been postponed. We mighr end up seeing the Georgia case postponed until May sometime, depending on how long the April 25 trial drags on.

It would be funny if Trump did get busted for rape and had to run for president as a registered sex offender.

 

[Jimmy Higgins]

The AJC keeps saying that Willis will decide whether or not to indict, I mean indicate /s, by the end of April. I'm not a lawyer, but I do wonder why this is taking so long, considering the overwhelming evidence, and the months spent by the Grand Jury pondering over this.

It is simple, it isn't what you know in court, it is what you can prove beyond a reasonable doubt.

Trump honestly thought that if Georgia recounted the votes, particularly in the cities, the votes he'd need would be found, which is what he meant by getting the votes. It is a lie, a flat out lie, but a defensible one. In a perfect world, he is in prison already for pressuring PA, WI legislatures and the GA SoS directly... so directly, he had HIS lawyer on the call!

 

[Shadowy Man]

Trump honestly thought that if Georgia recounted the votes, particularly in the cities, the votes he'd need would be found, which is what he meant by getting the votes.

To a reasonable person, this is belied by the fact that he also said “you can just say you’re recalculated”. Meaning that he was giving them an excuse to use when they came up with a new number. If he honestly thought a recount would go in his favor he wouldn’t say that. At least that would be the reasonable interpretation. Whether you can get a jury full of reasonable people is another matter entirely.

 

[Cheerful Charlie]

RICO charges may be made in Georgia voter fraud case. More damning evidence is found.

......
As CNN reported on Friday, "The plot to breach voting systems in Coffee County, coordinated by members of Trump’s legal team including Rudy Giuliani and Sidney Powell, is part of a broader criminal investigation into 2020 election interference led by Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis," before adding, "Willis’ office is weighing a potential racketeering case against multiple defendants and is actively deciding who to bring charges against, sources tell CNN. Willis has subpoenaed a number of individuals involved in the Coffee County breach.
.....

Now the question is, what did Trump know and when did Trump know it?

Bombshell revelation of Trump election texts is 'more damning' than his Georgia phone call: legal analyst

Reacting to a CNN report that Trump operatives were making plans to use breached voting data to not only undercut the 2020 presidential election results but also to give the GOP control of the Senate, one legal analyst stated the former president's legal woes have just grown exponentially...

www.rawstory.com

 

[southernhybrid]

Willis says she will bring charges sometime between July 11th and September 1st. It looks pretty certain, based on my reading of the AJC a few weeks ago, that Trump and many of his cult members will be charged with crimes in Georgia. Hoping she does it on July 11th, since she specifically mentioned that date, but I guess things could happen to cause a delay. Come on Fannie and Do your thing!

 

[ZiprHead]

They're turning on each other.

 

[ZiprHead]

Georgia Prosecutor Signals August Timetable for Charges in Trump Inquiry

The Fulton County district attorney said most of her staff would work remotely at times, and asked judges not to schedule trials, in the first half of August.

www.nytimes.com

The Georgia prosecutor leading an investigation into former President Donald J. Trump and his allies has taken the unusual step of announcing remote work days for most of her staff during the first three weeks of August, asking judges in a downtown Atlanta courthouse not to schedule trials for part of that time as she prepares to bring charges in the inquiry.

The moves suggest that Fani T. Willis, the Fulton County district attorney, is expecting a grand jury to unseal indictments during that time period. Ms. Willis outlined the remote work plan and made the request to judges in a letter sent on Thursday to 21 Fulton County officials, including the chief county judge, Ural Glanville, and the sheriff, Pat Labat.

 

[Terrell]

I think he, or some accomplices of his, will be indicted. I don't think that immunity deals would have been handed down if there wasn't going to be at least 1 indictment. I don't think indictments will stop at one; before all of this is done.

 

[Elixir]

I think he, or some accomplices of his, will be indicted. I don't think that immunity deals would have been handed down if there wasn't going to be at least 1 indictment. I don't think indictments will stop at one; before all of this is done.

Really stepping out on a long-shot there bro. At this point it’s “she better damn well after all this hoopla!”

 

[ZiprHead]

Legal experts trash Trump’s “desperate” bid to disqualify Fani Willis

"It is beneath our profession to have lawyers write things like this with such overblown rhetoric," attorney says.

www.salon.com

Former President Donald Trump on Friday filed a petition to Georgia's Supreme Court seeking to squash the final report of a special purpose grand jury recommending people for indictments and disqualify District Attorney Fani Willis from continuing to investigate him for attempting to overturn Georgia's 2020 election results — ahead of his widely expected indictment this summer.

According to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Trump's lawyers also requested the court prohibit Willis from using any evidence obtained by the investigative jury, which heard testimony between May 2022 and January 2023 from 75 witnesses.

The petition also asks the court to block any ongoing proceedings "related to and flowing from the special purpose grand jury's investigation until this matter can be resolved." These proceedings would include the two regular grand juries seated Tuesday, one of which is expected to be asked to hand up indictments for the alleged scheme to upend Georgia's 2020 presidential election.

Desperation.

 

[Ford]

Legal experts trash Trump’s “desperate” bid to disqualify Fani Willis

"It is beneath our profession to have lawyers write things like this with such overblown rhetoric," attorney says.

www.salon.com

Former President Donald Trump on Friday filed a petition to Georgia's Supreme Court seeking to squash the final report of a special purpose grand jury recommending people for indictments and disqualify District Attorney Fani Willis from continuing to investigate him for attempting to overturn Georgia's 2020 election results — ahead of his widely expected indictment this summer.

According to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Trump's lawyers also requested the court prohibit Willis from using any evidence obtained by the investigative jury, which heard testimony between May 2022 and January 2023 from 75 witnesses.

The petition also asks the court to block any ongoing proceedings "related to and flowing from the special purpose grand jury's investigation until this matter can be resolved." These proceedings would include the two regular grand juries seated Tuesday, one of which is expected to be asked to hand up indictments for the alleged scheme to upend Georgia's 2020 presidential election.

Desperation.

Indeed.

By now, any prosecutor worth their salt has figured out that team Trump's MO is delay, delay, delay. So with any luck they've already gamed out this sort of thing. If Trump does A, we do B. If Trump does C, we do D...and so on.

And with Trump's...diminishing quality of representation, I'd guess the prosecutors are at least 2 steps ahead.