The judge presiding over a Georgia grand jury investigation into Donald Trump on Monday rejected the former US president’s attempt to remove the prosecutor leading the investigation and block any prosecution stemming from the process.
Fulton County Superior Court Magistrate Robert McBurney also denied Trump’s motion to quash a special grand jury report with recommendations on whom to indict in connection with a campaign to overturn the 2020 Georgia election results. , when Democrat Joe Biden carried the state by a narrow margin.
The report has remained sealed pending charges in the case.
The ruling comes potentially a few days before possible indictments. Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis has indicated forcefully that she intends to ask a grand jury to approve charges sometime in the next three weeks, telling judges that her staff will be working mostly remotely as a precautionary measure. security.
Security barriers were put up outside the county courthouse last week.
Trump has denied any wrongdoing and accused Willis, an elected Democrat, of political motivation. A spokesperson and his Georgia-based legal team did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Trump’s lawyers filed a separate motion to remove Willis that will be heard by another judge next week, as all of the Fulton justices were recused from hearing it.
Willis is investigating Trump’s attempt to reverse the 2020 election result from January 2021, shortly after Trump was recorded in a phone call asking the state’s top elections official to “find” enough votes to overturn Biden’s victory. .
