Former President Donald Trump and three Republican politicians face potential charges stemming from their efforts to overturn the 2020 election, according to a Georgia special purpose grand jury report. The report, released on Friday after being largely sealed since January, recommended charges against Trump and South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham, as well as former Georgia Senators David Perdue and Kelly Loeffler.
The 23 grand jurors, who had the power to subpoena witnesses and make recommendations for charges, did not have the authority to indict. However, their recommendations came to fruition on August 15, when a traditional grand jury indicted Trump and 18 other individuals.
All defendants in the case have pleaded not guilty.
Most of the report had been kept confidential as the district attorney considered charges against Trump and his associates. However, one juror who voted against indicting Perdue and Loeffler believed that their post-election statements were not a criminal conspiracy.
The report also mentioned current Lt. Governor Burt Jones, recommending charges due to his involvement in falsely claiming to be one of Georgia’s electors. However, a conflict of interest prevented the district attorney from charging him. The Prosecuting Attorneys’ Council of Georgia is expected to appoint another prosecutor to review Jones’ case.
The grand jury recommended charges against 27 individuals involved in efforts to overturn the election. This included Graham, Loeffler, Perdue, and former Trump national security adviser Michael Flynn, who had been pardoned by Trump after pleading guilty to lying to the FBI.
Lawyers on Trump’s team or supporting his efforts, including Boris Epshteyn, Cleta Mitchell, and Lin Wood, were also mentioned in the report’s recommendations. Epshteyn declined to comment, while Mitchell did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Wood stated that he did not commit any crime and believed the district attorney made the correct decision in not charging him.
The special purpose grand jury interviewed 75 witnesses, including current and former state and federal officials, over a six-month period in 2022. They unanimously voted that no widespread fraud took place in Georgia’s presidential election. They also recommended the report be made public, which the judge ordered.
Two defendants, Cathleen Latham and Robert Cheeley, were charged with perjury based on the grand jury’s recommendations. The report is still being developed, and updates are expected.
Graham Kates, an investigative reporter covering criminal justice and privacy issues, contributed to this report.