‘TAINTED JURY’: Republicans Erupt After Fulton County ‘Indicts’ Trump Before Jury Had Even Voted
Fulton County publicly posted an indictment against former President Trump on its website, even before the grand jury had finished convening, eliciting strong reactions from prominent Republicans, who see it as a violation of due process rights.
The public indictment raised eyebrows for many. The release the indictment before the grand jury’s conclusion is sure to damage the perception of the trial’s fairness.
Vivek Ramaswamy, a presidential candidate running against Trump, weighed in on the issue on Twitter, expressing deep concern over the manner in which the indictment was handled.
He stated, “It’s downright pathetic that Fulton County publicly posted the indictment on its website even before the grand jury had finished convening.” Ramaswamy, despite being a political adversary of Trump, signaled his willingness to support a motion to dismiss on the grounds of a constitutional due process violation.
A stream of Republican outrage followed suit. Jack Posobiec, a prominent political commentator, succinctly summed up the sentiment of many when he tweeted, “A tainted grand jury is about to indict a former president.”
A tainted grand jury is about to indict a fmr president https://t.co/ylGoB6iX6g
— Jack Poso 🇺🇸 (@JackPosobiec) August 14, 2023
Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) took to Twitter to voice his indignation, suggesting that the entire Grand Jury process might now be seen as “tainted & corrupted.” He emphatically called for a “MOTION TO DISMISS!!!”
This is OUTRAGEOUS government conduct and is a very legitimate basis to deem the entire Grand Jury process tainted & corrupted.
MOTION TO DISMISS!!! https://t.co/XGIJMssV4p
— Matt Gaetz (@mattgaetz) August 14, 2023
Adding to the chorus of disapproval, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) expressed her belief that this action is “completely against the law” and called for the removal of Fulton County DA Fani Willis.
This is completely against the law!!
The Fulton County DA Fani Willis MUST BE REMOVED!!! https://t.co/FwJBkAuQ2r
— Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene🇺🇸 (@RepMTG) August 14, 2023
With Republicans rallying behind the argument that Fulton County’s actions are a violation of constitutional rights, this could very well set the stage for a contentious legal battle, with ramifications beyond the case.
The detailed charges against Donald John Trump are as follows:
- Violation of the Georgia RICO (Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations) Act, a serious felony, on November 4, 2020.
- Solicitation of Violation of Oath by Public Officer, a felony, on December 7, 2020.
- Conspiracy to Commit Impersonating a Public Officer, a felony, on December 6, 2020.
- Conspiracy to Commit Forgery in the First Degree, a felony, on December 6, 2020.
- Conspiracy to Commit False Statements and Writings, a felony, on December 6, 2020.
- Conspiracy to Commit Filing False Documents, a felony, on December 6, 2020.
- Another count of Conspiracy to Commit Forgery in the First Degree, a felony, on December 6, 2020.
- Another count of Conspiracy to Commit False Statements and Writings, a felony, on December 6, 2020.
- Filing False Documents, a felony, on December 31, 2020.
- Solicitation of Violation of Oath by Public Officer, a felony, on January 2, 2021.
- False Statements and Writings, a felony, on January 2, 2021.
- Another count of Solicitation of Violation of Oath by Public Officer, a felony, on September 17, 2021.
- Another count of False Statements and Writings, a felony, on September 17, 2021.
These details were publicly accessible via the Fulton County public records portal as of 12:39 PM (EST) on Monday afternoon.
State prosecutors in Georgia appeared to have brought charges against Donald Trump, however, the document was quickly removed after being posted on the Fulton County court’s website. The criminal probe dives into the alleged efforts by former President Donald Trump and his associates to reverse Joe Biden’s win and allocate Georgia’s electoral votes to Trump.
