Fulton County Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee confirmed on Monday that two of the Georgians who served on the special grand jury which recommended charges against former President Donald Trump and those who helped him contest the 2020 election in Georgia will be interviewed by the defense teams of pro-Trump attorneys Kenneth Chesebro and Sidney Powell.
McAfee (pictured above) said attorneys for Chesebro and Powell will interview two grand jurors who “expressed interest” in being interviewed, and clarified they “would be on the record,” for the interview. However, he added that it will not be a public proceeding. The interviews will be held on October 20, the same day jury selection will begin for the case.
Special prosecutor Nathan Wade, a private defense attorney whose firm has been paid more than $500,000 by Fulton County to prosecute Trump, said in September that Fulton County would oppose the interviews, and argued the defense attorneys would “perform an illegal investigation” if McAfee allowed them. The judge ultimately sided with defense attorneys, but said in his ruling that he intends to “guide and maintain oversight” of the interviews.
The special grand jury called by Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis not only recommended charges for those Willis indicted, but also wanted Willis to indict Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Georgia Lt. Governor Burt Jones (R), and former Georgia Senators Kelly Loeffler and David Perdue. Charges were also recommended for former Trump administration national security advisor Michael Flynn and longtime political advisor Boris Epshteyn.
Trump said these recommendations undermine “the credibility of the findings,” prove the special grand jury has “zero credibility, and badly taints” the prosecution.
Interviews with the grand jurors will occur as potential jurors for the case against Chesebro and Powell answer more than 100 questions crafted by prosecutors and defense attorneys in a bid to identify fair jurors. Defense attorneys want to ask potential jurors about their feelings about “MAGA Republicans,” though McAfee signaled he may not allow such questions.
Chesebro is charged with creating an alleged conspiracy to illegally pass off fraudulent Electoral College electors as public officials in a bid to change the 2020 election results in Georgia, while Powell is charged for to her alleged involvement in an illegal plot to seize voting equipment for the purpose of finding fraud. Both attorneys pleaded not guilty.
A joint case against Chesebro and Powell was severed from the greater racketeering indictment against Trump and his allies last month, after the attorneys invoked their right to a speedy trial. Their trial is scheduled to begin on October 23, though McAfee previously indicated he expects the day may be devoted to jury selection.
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Tom Pappert is the lead reporter for The Georgia Star News and a reporter for the Arizona Sun Times. Follow Tom on X/Twitter. Email tips to [email protected].
Photo “Judge Scott McAfee” by Superior Court of Fulton County.
