Georgia on his mind: Trump faces 1 more likely indictment soon for a total of 4 criminal cases
Former President Trump is facing another indictment that could come as soon as this month in Georgia, where state prosecutors are probing his alleged efforts to overturn the 2020 election.
The potential indictment would mark the fourth criminal case against Trump since he was charged on 34 felony counts in New York City in late March and would come shortly after his second federal indictment was unsealed on Tuesday. Fani Willis, the district attorney for Fulton County, Georgia, investigating Trump, has suggested an indictment would come on or before Aug. 18.
"We’re ready," Willis told FOX 5 Atlanta on Thursday. "We’re concentrating on Georgia and things that impacted Georgia."
"The oath requires that I follow the law, that if someone broke the law in Fulton County, Georgia, then I have a duty to prosecute," she continued.
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Former President Trump stands between his attorneys Todd Blanche and John Lauro as he takes an oath before Magistrate Judge Moxila Upadhyaya during his plea hearing Thursday. (REUTERS/Jane Rosenberg)
Willis first opened her investigation into Trump more than two years ago after the 2020 election. According to The Associated Press, Willis' team is investigating Trump and his associates for potential violations of the Georgia Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act.
There are six potential threads her team has pursued as part of the wide-ranging investigation, The Associated Press reported.
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First, they are investigating Trump for his Jan. 2, 2021 phone call to Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, during which the then-president suggested state officials "find" the votes needed to give him an edge over President Biden in the state. That phone call ultimately prompted Willis to open her investigation.
"All I want to do is this: I just want to find 11,780 votes, which is one more than we have," Trump told Raffensperger during the recorded call. "Because we won the state."
Willis is also investigating whether there was an elaborate plan organized by Trump's team and involving state Republicans to certify that Trump has won the state in the 2020 election. Those Republicans — who were not all elected leaders and half of whom have since reached immunity deals with Willis — declared themselves "duly elected and qualified" electors and sent their certificate to the National Archives and U.S. Senate.
Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis is pictured at the Fulton County courthouse on July 11. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson, File)
Third, Willis' office is looking into false claims made by Trump aides that the results of Georgia's election were fraudulent. Fourth, the district attorney is investigating whether Trump's team engaged in a pressure campaign against election workers.
Additionally, Trump's team is alleged to have gained "unauthorized access" to election equipment in Coffee County, Georgia, after hiring a computer forensics team, according to The Associated Press. Those allegations are being investigated by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation and may be tied into Willis' probe.
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Finally, Willis may be investigating Trump over the abrupt and unexpected resignation of U.S. Attorney BJay Pak on Jan. 4, 2021, two days after Trump's call with Raffensperger. Weeks before, Pak had reported to Department of Justice leaders that he found no evidence of election fraud after being asked to investigate the matter.
On Thursday, Trump was arraigned at a federal court in Washington, D.C., as part of Special Counsel Jack Smith's investigation into 2020 election interference and the Capitol riot on Jan. 6, 2021.
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Jack Smith, U.S. special counsel, speaks during a news conference in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday. Smith told reporters the January 2021 Capitol riot was fueled by Trump's lies "targeted at obstructing a bedrock function of the U.S. government." (Al Drago/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
Trump pleaded not guilty to four charges brought against him earlier in the week, including conspiracy to defraud the United States, conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding, obstruction of and attempt to obstruct an official proceeding and conspiracy against rights.
"The legal strategy in this case is very simple, you attack the facts in this case that Jack Smith put out that are wrong," Trump attorney Jesse Binnall said during an interview Thursday evening on "Jesse Watters Primetime." "For instance, Jack Smith claiming that Donald Trump did anything other call for peace and patriotism is wrong."
"This case should never make it to trial," Binnall added.
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Smith has also charged Trump with 37 counts related to his alleged improper retention of classified records from his presidency.
Fox News Digital reporter Brooke Singman and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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