By Joseph Ax
Feb 13 (Reuters) – Parts of a special Georgia grand jury’s report into Donald Trump’s efforts to nullify the state’s 2020 election are to be made public, but all recommendations on criminal charges will remain sealed for right now, a state judge said Monday.
The panel’s findings, which have remained sealed since the existence of the final report was revealed in January, could potentially serve as the basis for lawsuits against Trump or his associates who tried to overturn Democratic President Joe Biden’s victory in the State.
Fulton County Superior Court Judge Robert McBurney said three parts of the report will be released on Thursday: the introduction, the conclusion and a section in which the grand jury ‘discuss their concern that some witnesses may have lied. under oath “.
The report also includes “a list of who should (or should not) be charged and why, in relation to the conduct (and consequences) of Georgia’s 2020 general election,” the judge said.
However, those findings will remain secret for now, he ruled, citing the due process rights of potential witnesses or defendants who were not given a full opportunity to respond to allegations during proceedings before the court. grand jury. These concerns are particularly acute for people who have never appeared before the panel, he noted.
Trump was not subpoenaed or testified before the grand jury.
The decision whether or not to pursue criminal charges ultimately rests with Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis. During a January 25 court hearing, Willis told McBurney that the decision to press charges was “imminent” and urged him to keep the report secret to ensure future defendants could not come forward.
The Willis investigation could make Trump the first former US president to face criminal charges, months after he launched his bid for the Republican nomination to challenge Biden in 2024.
Trump denies wrongdoing and has accused Willis, an elected Democrat, of targeting him for political gain. (Edited in Spanish by Carlos Serrano)