Monday, December 19, 2022

If anyone is wondering where we are at with actual criminal investigations into Trump, this is the latest:

Fulton DA: Fani Willis leads the Fulton criminal investigation into Trump and his actions regarding GA state officials, and the investigation is winding down. The depositional phase is over, and the grand jury has begun writing its final report.

Fani Willis had suggested a charging decision by December, but sources familiar say delays in testimony will likely push this into 2023. In Georgia, the special grand jury cannot issue indictments directly. Instead, their report could offer recommendations, after which Willis can seek indictments from a regularly-paneled grand jury.

These are the figures that have testified:

  • Georgia's Governor
  • Georgia's Attorney General
  • Georgia's Lieutenant Governor
  • Georgia Secretary of State
  • A Georgia U.S. House Representative
  • Multiple Georgia State Senators
  • Multiple Georgia House Reps
  • The Cobb County Elections Director
  • U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham
  • Trump's lawyer - John Eastman
  • Trump's lawyer - Rudy Giuliani
  • Trump's legal adviser - Jenna Ellis
  • Trump's lawyer - Boris Epshteyn

Giuliani, along with 16 Republicans in regards to a fake elector scheme are allegedly informed criminal targets.

The DA is supposedly weighing election fraud, conspiracy, oath of office violations, racketeering and other offenses.

DOJ Mar-A-Lago/documents Investigation

The Mar-A-Lago investigation may be the most direct and narrow case. After months of requests and obstruction, the DOJ obtained a legal search warrant in August, citing 3 felonies. Over 100 classified documents were obtained. A lawsuit presented to district justice Cannon halted use of many classified documents, but was resolved and overturned by the 11th circuit weeks ago.

Along with the search warrant, several prominent prosecutors have been hired, and Trump's head liaison to the National Archives has been granted partial immunity - giving many the belief that Trump will ultimately be indicted.

Reporting from people familiar with the investigation previously said a charging decision would not be reached by December. Although recently, some legal figures such as Preet Bharara have suggested an indictment could be within a month. Others have suggested jan/feb.

DOJ Jan. 6th Investigation:

The DOJ's Jan. 6th investigation is the largest criminal investigation in history, and broadly covers hundreds of prosecutions. However, it is evident that Trump is being criminally investigated as well. These are just some of the most prominent bits of information that are public knowledge:

  • Trump's top adviser, Peter Navarro, had a search warrant executed by the FBI.
  • Trump's lawyer, John Eastman, had a search warrant executed by the FBI.
  • Trump's Assistant Attorney General, Jeffrey Clark, who Trump almost named the top law enforcement official in America had a search warrant executed by the FBI.
  • Trump's personal lawyer, Rudy Giuliani, has had multiple warrants executed, and phones/evidence seized.
  • Mike Lindell, "MyPillow Guy" phone seized by FBI.
  • Boris Epshteyn, a top Trump adviser, had his phone seized by the FBI.
  • 9 subpoenas have been issued regarding the fake elector scheme by Trump.
  • Trump's adviser/associate, Roger Stone, has been targeted for questioning by the DOJ.
  • Trump's attorney, Sidney Powell, has been cooperating with federal investigators.
  • Pence's Chief of Staff has testified before a grand jury.
  • Mark Meadows has testified before a grand jury.
  • 40 Subpoenas were issued to people in Trump's orbit related to Jan. 6.
  • Trump's WH council - the highest government legal adviser to Trump, Pat Cipollone, testified before a grand jury.
  • Georgia Secretary of State, Brad Raffensperger, has been subpoenaed.
  • Officials in Michigan, Wisconsin, Arizona, Georgia, and New Mexico subpoenaed.

It's widely believed the Jan. 6th investigation into Trump will not reach a charging decision until after a Mar-A-Lago decision is resolved, but timelines are much harder to speculate.

NY State

Last but not least, Letitia James is leading a civil trial into Trump Org and its associates, and has referred criminal matters to the DOJ, IRS, and NY AG.

Even the Stormy Daniels/Cohen criminal investigation elements of Trump's financial dealings is reportedly being restarted.

Any potential criminal prosecution from NY regarding Trump's finances is probably the furthest away from all known cases at the moment.

It's important to remember

Indictment =/= "We got him!"

Indictment is the BEGINNING of a long and arduous process that would involve a trial that would likely be scheduled a year or more in advance, and there's no guarantee Trump will be incarcerated pending trial. As frustrating as it is, prosecutors agree that none of these cases are "slam-dunks" against Trump, and he has many avenues to escape accountability that ultimately rest on the decisions of judges and juries.

We still have a long way to go.

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