 |
| Booking photos are shown for the 19 defendants involved in the trial about 2020 election interference in Georgia. (Fulton County Sheriff's Office) |
Former Vice President Mike Pence, a prominent figure in the Republican Party, stands out among potential witnesses listed by Fulton County prosecutors in the ongoing 2020 presidential election interference trial involving Donald Trump and his co-defendants.
CNN broke the news last week, disclosing Pence's inclusion in the Fulton County District Attorney’s witness list for a felony racketeering case. This case alleges that Trump orchestrated a multi-state conspiracy to overturn the 2020 election results. Pence faced criticism from Trump and his supporters for not participating in a false electors scheme aiming to declare Trump the winner.
Pence countered Trump’s claims, emphasizing his ceremonial role in counting electoral votes, devoid of legal authority to reject votes for Biden. Despite Pence's withdrawal from the 2024 Republican nomination race, Trump remains a frontrunner after a period of low poll numbers for his bid.
The extensive witness list also features notable names like former Attorney General Bill Barr, Trump adviser Steven Bannon, and Pennsylvania GOP U.S. Rep. Scott Perry. Barr, who resigned post-2020 election, testified against baseless claims of a stolen election during the Jan. 6th congressional committee hearing.
Court documents, later removed, hinted at a December 2020 text exchange where Perry expressed support for a defendant, Jeffrey Clark, involved in the election interference case. Fulton prosecutors also sought testimony from far-right media personality Alex Jones and RNC Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel.
Prosecutors aim to call approximately 150 witnesses over four months, including key figures like Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger and Gov. Brian Kemp, who testified before a Fulton County special purpose grand jury.
CNN broke the news last week, disclosing Pence's inclusion in the Fulton County District Attorney’s witness list for a felony racketeering case. This case alleges that Trump orchestrated a multi-state conspiracy to overturn the 2020 election results. Pence faced criticism from Trump and his supporters for not participating in a false electors scheme aiming to declare Trump the winner.
Pence countered Trump’s claims, emphasizing his ceremonial role in counting electoral votes, devoid of legal authority to reject votes for Biden. Despite Pence's withdrawal from the 2024 Republican nomination race, Trump remains a frontrunner after a period of low poll numbers for his bid.
The extensive witness list also features notable names like former Attorney General Bill Barr, Trump adviser Steven Bannon, and Pennsylvania GOP U.S. Rep. Scott Perry. Barr, who resigned post-2020 election, testified against baseless claims of a stolen election during the Jan. 6th congressional committee hearing.
Court documents, later removed, hinted at a December 2020 text exchange where Perry expressed support for a defendant, Jeffrey Clark, involved in the election interference case. Fulton prosecutors also sought testimony from far-right media personality Alex Jones and RNC Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel.
Prosecutors aim to call approximately 150 witnesses over four months, including key figures like Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger and Gov. Brian Kemp, who testified before a Fulton County special purpose grand jury.
In a twist, one of the 19 defendants, Trevian Kutti, faces potential bond revocation for violating conditions that prohibit public criticism of state witnesses. Allegedly, Kutti, along with others, harassed and threatened a former election worker in an attempt to force a false confession.
Kutti's social media comments, including a conspiracy theory connecting Nancy Pelosi to an elaborate plot, sparked controversy. Her attorney argues that she didn’t violate the bond agreement merely by commenting on her case.
Investigators from the secretary of state’s office and Georgia Bureau of Investigation debunked right-wing conspiracies against the election worker, Ruby Freeman, finding them unsubstantiated and false.
Fulton DA Fani Willis criticized Trump attorney Steve Sadow’s plea to delay the trial, calling it "ridiculous." Willis aims to start the trial in August, ahead of the November election, while Sadow requests postponement until after the election or Trump's potential re-election.
Concerns exist about scheduling conflicts with three other Trump trials in Georgia during the first half of 2024. Fulton Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee suggested splitting the defendants into smaller groups to address this issue.
Kutti's social media comments, including a conspiracy theory connecting Nancy Pelosi to an elaborate plot, sparked controversy. Her attorney argues that she didn’t violate the bond agreement merely by commenting on her case.
Investigators from the secretary of state’s office and Georgia Bureau of Investigation debunked right-wing conspiracies against the election worker, Ruby Freeman, finding them unsubstantiated and false.
Fulton DA Fani Willis criticized Trump attorney Steve Sadow’s plea to delay the trial, calling it "ridiculous." Willis aims to start the trial in August, ahead of the November election, while Sadow requests postponement until after the election or Trump's potential re-election.
Concerns exist about scheduling conflicts with three other Trump trials in Georgia during the first half of 2024. Fulton Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee suggested splitting the defendants into smaller groups to address this issue.
