Trump live updates: Georgia grand jury reportedly voting 2020 election case

Judge Robert McBurney, the Fulton County judge overseeing today’s grand jury proceedings, is back in court, according to reporters on the scene.

He reportedly joked with those inside the court, where developments continued well into the evening, “So did anyone leave early? I was tempted…”

The Fulton County grand jury considering evidence for potential criminal charges against Donald Trump is reportedly voting on its final decision, MSNBC reports, citing anonymous sources with direct knowledge of the process.

Few states have vexed former president Donald Trump more than Iowa. In 2016, he narrowly lost the state to Sen Ted Cruz (R-TX), who pulled off a stunner against the then-political neophyte thanks to aggressive campaigning.

Mr Trump would win the state in 2016 and again in 2020 during the general elections, turning Iowa from a battleground state that had voted for a Democrat in all but one presidential election from 1992 to 2012 to a solidly Republican state.

Since then, though, he’s picked a fight with his the state’s Gov Kim Reynolds, a former ally, for her supposed closeness with his chief rival, Florida Gov Ron DeSantis. A New York Times/Siena College poll showed that Mr Trump’s lead in the Hawkeye State is large, but not as big as it is nationally or in other states like New Hampshire and South Carolina, both of which Mr Trump won in 2016.

But Mr Trump cemented his dominance this weekend when he visited the Iowa State Fair. Members of Congress from Florida’s Republican delegation such as Reps Byron Donalds, Anna Paulina Luna, Cory Mills Greg Steube and Matt Gaetz flanked him, a reminder that they had chosen to back Mr Trump over Mr DeSantis.

It was the URL heard ‘round the world.

On Monday, a document was briefly posted on a Fulton County court website, seeming to show an extensive list of criminal charges against Donald Trump stemming from the long-running Georgia investigation into his attempts to overturn the state’s 2020 election results, according to Reuters.

The document, which can still be viewed on the Reuters website, was quickly taken down and disavowed by local officials, but not before it set the political world on fire.

Learn more about where the Georgia investigation of Donald Trump stands.

The grand jury process will continue for at least another hour, The Guardian reports, as the Fulton County District Attorney’s office is reportedly hoping to conclude presenting evidence by the end of the day.

The grand jury has already continued hearing testimony past normal court hours today.

Donald Trump has been accused of witness tampering in the Georgia election case where an indictment against the former president is expected this week.

“I am reading reports that failed former Lt Governor of Georgia, Jeff Duncan, will be testifying before the Fulton County Grand Jury. He shouldn’t,” Mr Trump wrote on Truth Social on Monday, before doubling down on his baseless claims about election fraud. “I barely know him but he was, right from the beginning of this Witch Hunt, a nasty disaster for those looking into the Election Fraud that took place in Georgia.”

Mr Trump was referring to Geoff Duncan, who served as the second in command to Governor Brian Kemp when Mr Trump was attempting to overturn the 2020 election results in the state.

“He refused having a Special Session to find out what went on, became very unpopular with Republicans (I refused to endorse him!), and fought the TRUTH all the way. A loser, he went to FNCNN!” Mr Trump added, seemingly in reference to the news networks Fox News and CNN.

Mr Duncan appeared on CNN on Monday saying, “I’m going to refrain from any comment with the exception of saying, which was just pointed out, he did misspell my name”.

Donald Trump may be Truth-ing his way into further legal jeopardy.

The ex-president, now facing three criminal investigations that have already resulted in charges and a fourth expected to do so imminently, has responded to every development in the prosecutions of his various alleged offences in an identical manner: By attacking the legal authorities and prosecutors following his footsteps.

Now, that tactic may be causing more harm than it is helping his chances of winning the 2024 Republican primary. On Friday, Mr Trump’s attorneys were warned by a judge in Washington DC overseeing his trial for attempting to overturn the 2020 election that “inflammatory” statements about the case could speed the trial along and result in her issuing protective orders chilling what he can and can’t say about the trial without facing further consequences.

“I caution you and your client to take special care in your public statements about this case,” Judge Tanya Chutkan said on Friday. “I will take whatever measures are necessary to safeguard the integrity of these proceedings.”

John Bowden has the details.

Part of Donald Trump’s expected indictment in Georgia is set to be televised, a judge has ruled.

The Fulton County superior court judge presiding over the grand jury in the case, Robert McBurney, told reporters that “if a grand jury presents an indictment, that’s usually in the afternoon, and you can film and photograph that,” The Messenger reported.

Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis has started presenting her case to the jury which will decide if Mr Trump should be indicted for his attempts to overturn the 2020 election results in the state.

The jury for this case only meets on Mondays and Tuesdays, prompting speculation that charges may soon come.

The judge said any filing won’t be read aloud in the courtroom.

Despite rioters chanting “hang Mike Pence” on January 6, the former vice president’s wife admitted she was “never” afraid during the Capitol riot, in her first public comments about the incident.

When asked if she was afraid throughout the course of the turbulent day, Karen Pence told ABC News: “I never felt afraid.”

“I really felt like we just had such a peace and God’s presence,” the former second lady recalled. “And just a sense of purpose and determination that I don’t think any of us in the whole group – all the staff and everyone with us – I don’t think any of us felt fear. I think we felt like a sense of resolve.”