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Former U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday told Georgia’s former lieutenant governor, Geoff Duncan, not to testify before the Fulton County grand jury that was set to hear evidence this week in the state’s 2020 election interference case.
“I am reading reports that failed former Lt. Governor of Georgia, Jeff [sic] Duncan, will be testifying before the Fulton County Grand Jury. He shouldn’t,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “I barely know him but he was, right from the beginning of this Witch Hunt, a nasty disaster for those looking into the Election Fraud that took place in Georgia.”
Legal experts argued that Trump’s post, published as the Fulton County grand jury prepared to convene to hear from Duncan and others, amounts to witness tampering.
“This is witness tampering and obstruction of justice,” wrote Glenn Kirschner, an NBC News legal analyst. “Trump indicates he knows a witness is about to testify before the grand jury, and he states—unequivocally and directly—’he shouldn’t.'”
“I expect we’ll see these crimes charged,” Kirschner added.
This is witness tampering & obstruction of justice. Trump indicates he knows a witness is about to testify before the grand jury, & he states – unequivocally and directly – “he shouldn’t.” He just told the witness ‘he SHOULD NOT TESTIFY.’ I expect we’ll see these crimes charged. pic.twitter.com/koFRofRBiR
— Glenn Kirschner (@glennkirschner2) August 14, 2023
Anthony Michael Kreis, a professor at Georgia State University College of Law, agreed, writing, “This is blatantly unlawful stuff.”
Trump is expected to face charges in the Georgia election probe as soon as Tuesday. The election law charges that Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis is reportedly considering include criminal solicitation to commit election fraud and conspiracy to commit election fraud.
According to CNN, “Atlanta-area prosecutors investigating efforts to overturn the 2020 election results in Georgia are in possession of text messages and emails directly connecting members of Donald Trump’s legal team to the early January 2021 voting system breach in Coffee County.”
“Willis is expected to seek charges against more than a dozen individuals when her team presents its case before a grand jury,” CNN reported Sunday. “Several individuals involved in the voting systems breach in Coffee County are among those who may face charges in the sprawling criminal probe.”
