Authorities Investigating Threats to Grand Jurors Who Indicted Trump in Georgia

By Russ Bynum

Authorities in Georgia said Thursday they're investigating threats targeting members of the grand jury that indicted former President Donald Trump and 18 of his allies.

Fulton County Sheriff Pat Labat's office said investigators are working to trace the origin of the threats after the names of grand jury members and other personal information were posted online. The sheriff's office said other local, state and federal law enforcement agencies were assisting.

“We take this matter very seriously and are coordinating with our law enforcement partners to respond quickly to any credible threat and to ensure the safety of those individuals who carried out their civic duty,” the sheriff's office said in a statement.

A Fulton County grand jury returned a 41-count indictment Monday charging Trump and 18 others with illegally conspiring to overturn his 2020 election loss in Georgia.

Though the grand jury proceedings were secret, the unredacted names of the grand jury members were included in the indictment. That's standard practice in Georgia, in part because it gives criminal defendants a chance to challenge the composition of the grand jury. The indictment itself is a public record.

The American Bar Association condemned any threats as well as the sharing of other personal information about the grand jurors online.

“The civic-minded members of the Georgia grand jury performed their duty to support our democracy,” the association's statement said. “It is unconscionable that their lives should be upended and safety threatened for being good citizens.”

Amid a rise in violent rhetoric directed toward public officials, the Georgia grand jurors aren't the only ones to face threats over their involvement in the four pending criminal cases against Trump.

A woman in Texas has been charged with making an Aug. 5 phone call threatening to kill U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan, who is overseeing the federal case against Trump in Washington. And FBI agents on Aug. 9 killed an armed Utah man facing arrest on charges of making violent threats against President Joe Biden and law enforcement officials involved in prosecuting Trump.

More In Politics

Companies Bid $264M in Gulf Oil Sale Mandated by Climate Law

Oil companies offered a combined $264 million for drilling rights in federal waters in the Gulf of Mexico on Wednesday in a sale mandated by last year’s climate bill compromise.

Adidas Withdraws Opposition to BLM Trademark Application

Adidas is withdrawing its challenge to a Black Lives Matter trademark application featuring three parallel stripes, two days after it contested the image with the U.S. Trademark Office.

Arkansas Sues TikTok, Meta Over Privacy, Child Safety Claims

The state of Arkansas sued TikTok and Facebook parent Meta on Tuesday, claiming the social media companies were misleading consumers about the safety of children on their platforms and protections of users' private data.

Russia Arrests Wall Street Journal Reporter on Spying Charge

Russia’s top security agency arrested an American reporter for the Wall Street Journal on espionage charges, the first time a U.S. correspondent was put behind bars on spying accusations since the Cold War. The newspaper denied the allegations against Evan Gershkovich.

Permit to Buy Handgun No Longer Required in North Carolina

North Carolina residents can now buy a handgun without getting a permit from a local sheriff. The Republican-controlled state House on Wednesday overrode the Democratic governor’s veto.

Bernie Sanders Accuses Ex-Starbucks Chief of 'Union-Busting'

Longtime Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz is facing sharp questioning before the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee where he is defending the company’s actions during an ongoing unionizing campaign.

US: Credit Suisse Violates Deal on Rich Clients' Tax Evasion

Credit Suisse violated a plea agreement with U.S. authorities by failing to report secret offshore accounts that wealthy Americans used to avoid paying taxes, U.S. lawmakers said Wednesday.

Reports: JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon Is Being Deposed in Epstein Case

According to a Reuters report, JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon is being deposed over the bank's relationship with sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

Lawmakers Grill Regulators About Banking Collapse

Capitol hill is trying to get to the bottom of the bank collapses that shocked the financial system last month, and today lawmakers grilled banking regulators about why they weren't able to stop the crisis. Cheddar News correspondent Lisa Bennatan broke down the proceedings.

At Trial, Minnesota Says E-cigarette Maker Juul Targets Kids

Juul will finally have its day in court for its role in the teen vaping epidemic. The Minnesota attorney general is preparing for opening arguments in the state's lawsuit against the vape maker. Here to break down the complicated backstory for this legal case is Senior Reporter Chloe Aiello.

Load More