Parts of Georgia grand jury report on Trump, 2020 election to be released

FULTON COUNTY, Ga. — Portions of a final report issued last month by a Georgia special grand jury tasked with investigating whether former President Donald Trump and his allies violated the law in trying to overturn his 2020 presidential election loss in the state are set to be made public this week, WSB-TV reported.

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In a court order issued Monday, Fulton County Superior Court Judge Robert McBurney said that three parts of the report — the introduction, the conclusion and a section in which the grand jury discussed unnamed witnesses who might have lied under oath — will be made public Thursday.

“While publication may not be convenient for the pacing of the District Attorney’s investigation, the compelling public interest in these proceedings and the unquestionable value and importance of transparency require their release,” the judge wrote, according to WSB.

The decision comes as news stations — including WSB and the news station’s owner, Cox Media Group — urge McBurney to make the entire report public. The judge on Monday declined to release the report in order to protect the rights of people who might still yet be criminally charged in connection with the investigation, Reuters reported. Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis’ office earlier told about 20 people that they might face charges, according to The New York Times.

In 2021, state officials launched an investigation into whether Trump attempted to overturn Georgia’s election results after audio surfaced of a phone call between the then-president and Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger. In the call, Trump could be heard urging officials to “find” about 12,000 votes — enough to overturn his loss to now-President Joe Biden.

The special grand jury heard testimony from dozens of witnesses over the course of about six months, according to The Associated Press. Several of Trump’s allies and officials — including former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows, former national security adviser Michael Flynn and Trump attorney Rudy Giuliani — are among those who have testified, WSB reported.

Trump has denied any wrongdoing, calling his call with Raffensberger “A PERFECT PHONE CALL.”

Special grand juries in Georgia cannot issue indictments, the AP reported. They can recommend charges be filed, though the decision on whether to move forward with prosecution will be made by Willis, according to WSB.

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