NEW: Willis signals August timetable for charges in Trump investigation

Fulton DA asks large number of staff to work remotely in August

Fani Willis

A new letter from Fulton County’s top prosecutor has laid out a possible timetable for filing charges in the investigation into former President Donald Trump and his campaign’s attempts to overturn the 2020 election results.

In a memo to a superior court judge, which was first obtained by the New York Times, District Attorney Fani Willis appears to be preparing her office for indictments to be unsealed in early to mid-August. She has made an unusual request that “approximately 70%” of her employees work from home between July 31 and August 18. Additionally, she is asking judges not to schedule any new trials or in-person proceedings during that timeframe.

The letter went on to say:

“Note that during this period my leadership team, all armed investigators, my Case Intake Division, and personnel at the Juvenile Court building will be working every day, including the scheduled partial remote workdays. During this three-week period, on days other than those listed above, all members of my staff will be present as usual.”

It is the strongest indication yet that Willis may soon be filing charges against major Trump campaign officials and allies who worked to undermine Georgia’s election results, possibly including the former President himself. The DA had previously suggested that indictments could be coming this summer.

In preparation for possible unrest, she has been quietly taking steps to heighten security for herself and her staff. The Times reports that she has had some staff members fitted with bulletproof vests. She has also requested increased security in and around the Fulton County Courthouse — with help from the FBI.

Trump’s legal team also appears to be gearing up for possible charges. They recently filed a long-shot motion asking a judge to disqualify Willis from the investigation and to throw out all evidence that had been gathered by a special grand jury. Willis, along with several media organizations, criticized the motion and quickly filed to dismiss it.

As for the former President, we learned this week that he will be returning to Georgia next month to address the Republican Party’s state convention. You can expect that this investigation, along with his other legal troubles, will be a topic of discussion when he addresses delegates in Columbus.