Topline
Sixteen Republicans who met at the Georgia state capitol in 2020 to cast sham Electoral College ballots for then-President Donald Trump have been told they are under criminal investigation and could be prosecuted, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, as part of a special grand jury probe into Trump’s attempts to overturn the state’s election results.
Then-President Donald Trump speaks in the East Room of the White House during an event with U.S. … [+]
Key Facts
The 16 fake electors have all received “target” letters from Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis alerting them of their status, according to the newspaper.
Two top Georgia GOP officials were among the fake electors: state Republican Party chairman David Shafer and state Sen. Burt Jones, who is the Republican nominee for lieutenant governor in this year’s midterm elections.
Republican State Sen. Brandon Beach, who allegedly acted as a middleman between the Trump campaign and the fake electors, also reportedly received a letter.
Jeff DiSantis, a spokesman for Willis, did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Forbes.
What To Watch For
The fake electors are set to testify before the grand jury starting Monday, according to a court filing Tuesday from attorneys representing 11 of them. The attorneys argued requests for the fake electors to appear before the grand jury are “unnecessary, unreasonable and oppressive,” in part because they have purportedly been “subjected to significant, abusive threats.” The filing also claimed the fake electors could not “have possibly known or anticipated” their votes would have become part of an alleged pressure plan to have then-Vice President Mike Pence overrule valid election results.
Key Background
The fake electors appear to be a significant focus for both Willis and the House January 6 committee, which held a hearing last month specifically focused on Trump’s push to subvert President Joe Biden’s wins in a series of closely contested states. At least two members of Trump’s inner circle are also facing scrutiny in the Fulton County probe: Rudy Giuliani, Trump’s former personal attorney, and John Eastman, a right-wing legal scholar who promoted overturning the election results. Both received subpoenas earlier this month. The special grand jury was empaneled by Willis in May and could take up to a year to investigate before issuing a report that could recommend criminal charges. A separate grand jury would then have to decide whether to bring any indictments.
Tangent
Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), who also received a subpoena in the Georgia probe, has reached an agreement with Willis to testify, according to a stipulation filed Tuesday.
Further Reading
UPDATED: Sham Georgia GOP electors face potential charges in Fulton probe (Atlanta Journal-Constitution)
Georgia Grand Jury Subpoenas Giuliani, Eastman Over Trump’s Efforts To Overturn Election (Forbes)
Jan. 6 Hearings: Arizona Speaker Says Trump Lied That He Backed Fraud Claims (Forbes)
Trump Investigation Heats Up In Georgia As DA Convenes Grand Jury—Here’s What Happens Next (Forbes)
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/nicholasreimann/2022/07/19/georgia-fake-electors-could-face-criminal-charges-da-reportedly-says/