Georgia GOP chair appears before Atlanta-area grand jury in election probe
Chairman David Shafer speaks before his election at the Georgia GOP State Convention in Jekyll Island
By Jason Morris, Zachary Cohen and Erin Burnett, CNN
Georgia Republican Party Chairman David Shafer has appeared in front of a special grand jury in Atlanta investigating efforts by Donald Trump and his allies to overturn the 2020 election in the state, a source with knowledge of the investigation confirmed to CNN.
Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis sent a target letter to Shafer earlier this month, warning him that he may be indicted as part of her wide-ranging investigation. Shafer is one of the 16 “fake electors” who participated in a plan to subvert the Electoral College and are now targets of Willis’ ongoing criminal investigation.
At least 11 of the 16 people who signed the fake certificates supporting Trump on December 14, 2020, were scheduled to appear in front of the grand jury this week, it was revealed at a hearing in Superior Court of Fulton County last week.
Shafer also has faced inquiries from federal investigators and the House select committee investigating the January 6, 2021, attack on the US Capitol.
In February, Shafer told the House committee that the fake electors scheme came at the direction of the Trump campaign after the then-President lost the state’s vote.
Shafer’s attorney did not immediately respond to CNN’s request for comment.
Willis’ broad investigation has sought evidence on potential crimes, including solicitation of election fraud, making false statements to state and local government bodies, conspiracy and racketeering.
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