A special grand jury was convened in Atlanta on Monday to begin a criminal inquiry into whether Donald Trump attempted to rig the state's presidential election results in 2020.Against the backdrop of increased local security, 200 potential panelists arrived at the Fulton County courthouse, where District Attorney Fani Willis and a local judge chose 26 people (23 grand jurors and three alternates) to serve on a panel that will have the authority to subpoena witnesses and documents central to the 15-month-old investigation.During a public portion of the hearing, Fulton County Superior Court Judge Robert McBurney briefly defined the panel's objective, but made no specific mention to the former president.
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Only that panel, according to McBurney, will look for evidence of "an unlawful endeavor to disrupt the election."
More: Trump's probes are expected to pick up speed in the coming weeks: What is the status of the inquiries?
More: Remember Trump's request for Georgia voters to be "found"? Meet Fani Willis, the District Attorney who has the power to charge him.
The special panel will have the authority to subpoena witnesses and documents, as well as ask their own questions, but it will not have the jurisdiction to make charging decisions. The panel is required to issue a report at the conclusion of the investigation, in which it can propose criminal charges. The district attorney is the one who makes the actual charging decision.
"You can suggest the opposite – that there is no there there," McBurney said to the panelists. "It's all about that."
Although the special grand jury may convene for a year, Willis has stated that she expects to make a judgment by the end of the year.
According to Willis spokesperson Jeff DiSantis, investigators have spoken with around 50 witnesses. Another 30 people might be subjected to grand jury subpoenas, while another 60 people could be contacted for extra voluntary interviews, he said.
More: The Atlanta District Attorney's Office has authorized a request for a grand jury investigation into Trump's alleged electoral meddling in 2020.
The case is one of numerous against Trump that are currently being investigated. His real estate business is being investigated by New York police, a special House committee is looking into his role in the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol, and federal investigators are looking into possible links to rioters involved in the incident.
The inquiry into Georgia focuses on a call Trump made to Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger on January 2, 2021, pushing him to "find 11,780 votes" for him to win the state. President Joe Biden was declared the Georgia winner.
"And there's nothing wrong with saying, you know, recalculated," Trump told the officials.
The panel is anticipated to summon Raffensperger next month, when it begins hearing testimony and other material.
The Trump call effectively triggered the present investigation, which is looking into everything from election fraud solicitation and false statements to conspiracy, oath of office violations, racketeering, and violence related to threats to the election process.
Since then, Willis has hinted that the inquiry has broadened to include the filing of an alternate slate of electors by Republicans in Georgia, one of seven states where officials allegedly attempted to overturn Trump's loss.
Trump has defended his actions numerous times, describing his communication with Raffensperger as "excellent" while making inaccurate and fraudulent allegations about massive voter fraud in Georgia.
Willis increased physical security at her office and personal protection at her house as a result of the former president's vehement criticism of the prosecutors and public officials heading current investigations, including the Atlanta probe.
As an additional precaution, municipal authorities shuttered streets around the downtown justice building ahead of Monday's special grand jury selection hearing.
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