Former President Donald Trump has already been charged with more than 30 crimes in New York City, but now, it’s possible he could face another criminal indictment in the coming months.
Earlier this week, news broke that Fani Willis, the district attorney of Fulton County in Georgia, had written a letter to some local law enforcement agencies, informing them that she’d make a “charging decision” sometime from July 11 through September 1, and that there was a “need for heightened security” because of that.
On Monday, Willis said she’d “announce [a] charging decision resulting from the investigation my office has been conducting into possible criminal interference in the administration or Georgia’s 2020 General Election” in the “near future.”
She wrote in her letter:
“I am providing this letter to bring to your attention the need for heightened security and preparedness in coming months due to this pending announcement. I will be announcing charging decisions resulting from this investigation during Fulton County Superior Court’s fourth term of court, which will begin on July 11, 2023, and conclude on September 1, 2023.”
The district attorney further wrote that this decision “may provoke a significant reaction,” and that law enforcement agencies should be “ready to protect the public” as a result.
All of those descriptions certainly sound as if Willis has every intention of charging Trump with crimes in relation to his meddling in the 2020 election in Georgia.
A former prosecutor for Los Angeles County, Joshua Ritter, commented to Newsweek on Willis’ letter:
“I don’t think there’s any other way to interpret her comments but that an indictment is coming. There is no other logical explanation for this kind of public warning. If it’s not about that, then it becomes absurd.
“It’s extraordinary for prosecutors to forecast their thinking in this manner. Usually, the inner workings and deliberations taking place inside prosecutors’ offices are very closely guarded. Now, given the circumstances and given the potential defendant in this case, you can understand why they would be concerned about things like security.
“But, it is remarkable – whether it’s vague, veiled references like we see in this case, or flat-out leaks like we saw in Manhattan, we’re seeing an inordinate amount of forecasting coming from these prosecutors’ offices.”
Ritter makes some very good points here. It would seem extremely unlikely that a public warning would be needed if Willis were planning to pass on bringing charges against Trump. The threat of public protests is likely to be very low if charges aren’t brought against the former president.
The flip side is what could cause prosecutors in Georgia to be concerned about public unrest. If Trump were to be charged, it’s possible that there could be protests that officials would be concerned about.
If Trump were to be indicted in Georgia this summer, it would make for two separate criminal cases he would have to face in two different states – one of which is considered a battleground for the 2024 presidential election.
