Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis is making significant preparations for the announcement of charging decisions in her investigation into Donald Trump and his allies’ attempts to overturn the 2020 election in Georgia. In a letter obtained by CNN, Willis announced remote workdays for her staff in August and requested that judges avoid scheduling in-person hearings during parts of that month. This move suggests that Willis is likely to make her charging decisions public during that timeframe.
The letter outlines a series of remote workdays for the district attorney’s staff, spanning the first three weeks of August. Approximately 70% of the Fulton County District Attorney’s office staff will be working remotely, which aims to reduce the number of personnel present at the Fulton County Courthouse and Government Center. Willis highlighted that her leadership team and armed investigators would continue working full-time throughout the remote work periods.
Willis’s decision to implement remote workdays and limit in-person court dates is driven by security concerns and recent cooperation deals. These factors have influenced the timeline for announcing possible charges in her ongoing investigation into Trump and his allies. Willis has been exploring potential conspiracy and racketeering charges, which would enable her to bring charges against multiple defendants.
The letter was sent to various Fulton County officials, judges, and local law enforcement leaders. It emphasized the need to maintain the safety of the Fulton County Judicial Complex during this time.
Willis’s previous correspondence with law enforcement leaders stated that she intended to announce charging decisions between July 11 and September 1. However, the recent letter appears to narrow down the window for the announcement, suggesting a likelihood of indictments in August. Willis has cautioned about the potential for a significant public reaction to the charges, urging law enforcement to be prepared for heightened security measures.
For over two years, Willis and her team have been scrutinizing the actions of Trump and others in their efforts to overturn his narrow loss in Georgia to Joe Biden in the 2020 election.
In the letter to Chief Judge Ural Glanville, Willis detailed her plan to reduce staffing in her office by approximately 70% on most Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays between July 31 and August 18. These days align with the grand jury meetings in Fulton County. However, her leadership team, armed investigators, and select staff members will remain on-site during the remote work days.
Willis acknowledged that most judges would be attending an annual state judicial conference from July 31 to August 4 and requested that they refrain from scheduling trials or in-person hearings during the weeks of August 7 and August 14. She assured that her office would be prepared for any in-person proceedings during that period. If in-person hearings are scheduled while most of her staff is working remotely, senior leadership will handle them.
The Georgia investigation is one of several legal challenges that could impact Donald Trump’s future political aspirations, as he seeks to regain the presidency in 2024. Other ongoing investigations include a Manhattan grand jury indictment on charges related to hush-money payments, federal grand juries in Washington investigating efforts to overturn the 2020 election, and the potential mishandling of classified documents at Trump’s Florida estate.
Recently, a federal jury in New York found Trump liable for sexually abusing E. Jean Carroll, an advice columnist, in 1996, resulting in a $5 million award to her.