Attorney Norman Eisen predicted on Friday that former President Donald Trump is “heading for an indictment” in Georgia after some of his allies there received so-called “target letters” from the district attorney’s office of Fulton County.
Georgia County District Attorney Fani Willis began investigating Trump early last year after she pressured state officials to help undo President Joe Biden’s election victory. That effort drew national attention after the audio of a call between Trump and Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger leaked in which the then president urged the Republican official to “find” enough votes. to change the outcome of the election.
Yahoo News first reported on Friday that Georgia GOP President David Shafer and state senators Burt Jones and Brandon Beach received letters of intent from Willis, warning that they could face a charge in connection with their research. Jeff DiSantis, a spokesman for the district attorney, also told the Associated Press that Willis is considering summoning Trump to testify before the special grand jury is summoned for the investigation.
Former President Donald Trump is “heading for an indictment” in Georgia, legal expert Norman Eisen predicted on Friday in comments to The New York Times. Above, Trump speaks during a March 26 “Save America” rally in Commerce, Georgia. Megan Varner / Getty Images
“I think the high probability is that he’s headed for an indictment,” Eisen told The New York Times after the news of the target letters was released on Friday. The legal expert previously served as a special counsel for the House Judiciary Committee during Trump’s first removal.
“There is powerful evidence of violations of Georgian law in the form of the smoky gun tape that requires 11,780 votes, when from this tape it is perfectly clear that you know these votes do not exist,” Eisen, who now works as a senior. explained a fellow in governance studies in Brookings.
The legal expert shared a similar perspective on Twitter.
“No matter what other stories come out today, this is the biggest,” Eisen wrote, tagging Yahoo News and the journalists who published the story. “It’s not just that DA Willis is preparing to file criminal charges against these high-level GA GOP officials,” he tweeted. “Clearly he’s also preparing to hit Trump.”
No matter what other stories come out today, this is the biggest @Isikoff @dklaidman @YahooNews
It’s not just that DA Willis is preparing to file criminal charges against these high-level GA GOP officials
Clearly, he is also preparing to hit Trump. https://t.co/dYkxuIsMn7
– Norm Eisen (@NormEisen) July 15, 2022
In another tweet, Eisen assessed that the warnings to Trump’s allies in Georgia were a “signal” that the criminal charges would “end up hitting” the former president as well.
Speaking of today’s news about the upcoming criminal charges in Fulton County and the signal that they will end up hitting Trump, here’s an old but one advantage from @ gtconway3d. https://t.co/gMMjf3A6UB
– Norm Eisen (@NormEisen) July 15, 2022
Legal experts have pointed out for months that the Fulton County investigation is the one most likely to lead to criminal charges against the former president. Close observers of the investigation have claimed that Trump appears to have violated some simple criminal statutes in Georgia, including the criminal request to commit electoral fraud. District prosecutor court documents have indicated that charges of extortion and conspiracy are also possible, according to the Times.
Laurence Tribe, professor emeritus of constitutional law at Harvard University, predicted in late May that Willis’ investigation would lead to charges against the former president.
“I would not be surprised if Georgia becomes the first jurisdiction to charge a former president with felony criminal mischief. I doubt it will be the last. And I think the charges will continue,” Tribe tweeted.
Newsweek contacted Trump’s press office for comment.
The former president continues to insist that he did nothing wrong after the 2020 election, alleging that they were “cheated” or “stolen” in favor of Biden. Trump claims that all investigations into his actions to overturn the results of the presidential election are part of a “witch hunt” and openly partisan.
Despite his claims, no evidence has emerged to corroborate his allegations about the 2020 election. On the contrary, audits and counts have consistently reaffirmed Trump’s loss, while several senior officials in his own administration have said that the claims have no merit.
Former Attorney General William Barr, who was widely regarded as one of Trump’s most loyal cabinet members, has repeatedly said the allegations of widespread election fraud were “bulls ** t.”
“I thought, boy, if you really believe in these things, you’ve lost touch with; you’ve become detached from reality if you really believe these things,” Barr told the House select committee investigating the attack on United States of January 6, 2021. Capitol.