Trump to face racketeering charge in Georgia for attempting to overturn 2020 election results: report

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Atlanta’s top prosecutor is preparing to charge former President Donald Trump with racketeering for his efforts to overturn the 2020 election results in Georgia.

Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis will formally accuse Trump, 77, of influencing witnesses and computer trespassing, The Guardian reported Friday, in what could be the former president’s fourth indictment this year.

Trump made several phone calls to Georgia election officials after his electoral loss to now-President Biden, asking Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger in one infamous conversation to “find” 11,780 votes to overturn his defeat in the Peach State.

Willis also probed the involvement of ex-Trump attorney Sidney Powell in the alleged breach of Dominion Voting Systems machines that relayed election data from Coffee County, sources briefed on the matter told the outlet.

The indictment could be handed down as soon as early next month.

Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis will apparently charge former President Donald Trump with influencing witnesses and computer trespassing, The Guardian reported. AP

Trump made several phone calls to Georgia election officials after his electoral loss to President Biden in 2020. Getty Images

A spokesman for the Fulton County DA’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Willis said in a Feb. 10, 2021, letter to Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp obtained by The New York Times that her investigation would weigh charges including “solicitation of election fraud, the making of false statements to state and local governmental bodies, conspiracy, racketeering, violation of oath of office and any involvement in violence or threats related to the election’s administration.”

Willis also probed the involvement of ex-Trump attorney Sidney Powell in the alleged breach of Dominion Voting Systems machines to relay election data from Coffee County. Getty Images

Emily Kohrs, a member of the special grand jury convened to investigate election meddling in Georgia, told CNN earlier this year that there was “not a short list” of recommended indictments in the case and that Americans would not “be shocked” by one “big name.”

The admissions were part of a bizarre media tour by the 30-year-old grand jury forewoman after the panel recommended indictments in a report issued in February.

Willis impaneled a second grand jury on July 11 that will recommend whether to specifically charge the former president or others in the case.

At least eight fake electors in Georgia who planned to declare Trump the winner of the 2020 election have been granted immunity by Willis’ office for cooperating in the probe. Getty Images

At least eight “fake electors” in Georgia who planned to declare Trump the winner in the state have been granted immunity by Willis’ office in exchange for cooperating in the probe, according to reports.

The potential indictment comes as special counsel Jack Smith is reportedly weighing a further federal indictment against Trump for his efforts to overturn the 2020 election results in connection with the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riot.

Willis swore in jurors on a separate panel on July 11 that will recommend whether to charge the former president or others. AP

Smith already charged the former president in June with 37 counts for having allegedly withheld classified documents from federal authorities and then lied about having done so.

In April, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg indicted Trump on 34 counts of business fraud for allegedly concealing “hush money” payments to a porn star before the 2016 election.

JubalHarshaw23 on July 21st, 2023 at 22:01 UTC »

Good, then Lindsey Graham can be charged as part of the Conspiracy, along with a few hundred other Republicans in DC and around the country.

notcaffeinefree on July 21st, 2023 at 21:47 UTC »

Key point here: This is a state-level racketeering charge, not federal. And it's even broader than the federal crime:

The racketeering statute in Georgia is more expansive than its federal counterpart, notably because any attempts to solicit or coerce the qualifying crimes can be included as predicate acts of racketeering activity, even when those crimes cannot be indicted separately.

And one of those crimes is supposedly the whole thing about breaching the voting machines (paid for by Trump's lawyer at the time):

For the computer trespass charge, where prosecutors would have to show that defendants used a computer or network without authority to interfere with a program or data, that would include the breach of voting machines in Coffee county, the two people said.

5pinktoes on July 21st, 2023 at 21:36 UTC »

I'm so happy Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger had the presence of mind to record that call. I think it's YUGE ! And his testimony at the January 6th Committee was powerful and compelling.