The People's Verdict: Examining the Fulton Grand Jury Indictments

Understanding the Fulton Grand Jury Indictments

A grand jury of Georgia citizens is expected to issue multiple indictments for efforts by Donald Trump and his campaign to convince GA election officials to overturn the 2020 election results.

Starting in May 2022, a Special Grand Jury of 26 Georgia citizens has reviewed evidence and heard testimony from at least 75 different witnesses.

The Special Grand Jury reviewed evidence for over 8 months, and delivered a final report to Fulton Superior Court Judge Robert McBurney. Judge McBurney unsealed sections of the report that show the Special Grand Jury:

• recommended multiple indictments,
• found evidence indicating some witnesses committed perjury under oath, and
• found no evidence of any election fraud in GA that could have affected the 2020 outcome, adding the first jury affirmation to the to the multiple state audits confirming Joe Biden's victory.

Any indictments would result from two separate bipartisan juries of Georgia citizens (nearly 40 jurors in all) considering the evidence and finding that crimes were committed.

​The crimes being considered by the Grand Juries are:

• ​solicitation to commit election fraud,
• intentional interference with performance of election duties,
• interference with primaries and elections, and
• conspiracy to commit election fraud

Election Interference in Georgia

In January 2021, former President Donald Trump made a controversial phone call to Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, where he made several false claims about the 2020 presidential election. Trump alleged that thousands of dead people voted, and ballots for Joe Biden were transported in suitcases to the Atlanta counting facility. He also urged Raffensperger to "find 11,780" votes in his favor, one more than the number Biden received. Trump's actions to undermine the 2020 Georgia election results have been subject to scrutiny at the state and national level.

In an attempt to overturn the 2020 election results, Trump's allies came up with a proposal to produce false electors in seven critical states. In Georgia, 16 individuals signed a false electors slate, which was an attempt to overturn the state's certified election results for Joe Biden. This act, along with similar instances in other states, is currently under investigation.

In at least seven instances across four states, including in Coffee County, Georgia, local officials are alleged to have given Trump supporters access to voting machines and their data. In Coffee County, individuals copied sensitive election software used throughout the state. These allegations have added fuel to the ongoing debate over the integrity of the 2020 presidential election and raised questions about the role of local officials in ensuring fair and secure elections.

A regular grand jury will now review the report and recommendation for indictment. If the regular grand jury agrees, this could be the first time a former U.S. President is indicted on felony charges.

Why the Fulton Grand Jury Matters

The investigation by the Fulton County Grand Jury in Georgia is the most exhaustive exploration to date by regular citizens of alleged election fraud and efforts to criminally influence and overturn the 2020 election. Here are a few key takeaways:

• The Georgia Grand Jury has the legal authority to issue indictments against people who committed crimes under Georgia law.
• The Special Grand Jury of 26 citizens concluded there was no election fraud that affected the 2020 Georgia outcomes, after reviewing all the evidence presented by the Trump campaign lawyers, local elected officials, and state election officials.
• The regular Grand Jury is expected to issue indictments this spring, potentially even of Donald Trump.

In comparison to the bipartisan Congressional Committee that investigated the January 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol, the Georgia Grand Jury has the legal authority to issue indictments against individuals who committed crimes under Georgia law. The Special Grand Jury's report is significant because it is the first official jury affirmation of Joe Biden's victory in Georgia.

The indictments recommended by the Special Grand Jury could lead to the conviction of individuals for attempting to interfere with the presidential election. The grand jury's work is also important for future elections, as it sends a strong message that attempts to interfere with elections will not be tolerated.