Georgia cops scope out Trump proceedings in Miami ahead of Atlanta indictment decision
Deputies with the Fulton County Sheriff’s Office traveled to New York and Miami to gather intelligence on security operations at court hearings attended by Donald Trump in what is the clearest indicator yet that the former president will be charged in Georgia.
Atlanta-based outlet 11Alive News reported on Tuesday that the Sheriff’s Office’s close observation of the 76-year-old former president’s two historic arraignments comes after notice from Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis that there’s an intent to announce charges in her office’s probe into Trump’s alleged efforts to overturn 2020 election results in the Peach State.
The Fulton County Sheriff’s Office would not provide the outlet with additional details about security operations or procedures for a possible third Trump indictment.
“We’re being very proactive about our approach,” Fulton County Sheriff Patrick Labat told Atlanta outlet WSB-TV on Tuesday. “We’re doing a really good job of reading tomorrow’s newspaper today, understanding what safety and security looks like so we are prepared holistically.”
Labat described the trips as “an opportunity to learn and make sure we are equally prepared.”
The Sheriff’s Office did not respond to The Post’s request for comment.
Willis reportedly sent letters to local law enforcement agencies in April asking them to prepare for “significant public reaction” to an announcement that she revealed would occur between July 11 and Sept. 1.
“Please accept this correspondence as notice to allow you sufficient time to prepare the Sheriff’s Office and coordinate with local, state and federal agencies to ensure that our law enforcement community is ready to protect the public,” Willis wrote in her letter to Labat, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
“We have seen in recent years that some may go outside of public expressions of opinion that are protected by the First Amendment to engage in acts of violence that will endanger the safety of those we are sworn to protect,” Willis added in her missive. “As leaders, it is incumbent upon us to prepare.”
Willis launched her investigation into Trump and several of his allies more than two years ago.
The probe was triggered by the revelation of a phone call Trump made to Republican Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger on Jan. 2, 2021, urging him to “find 11,780 votes” — just enough to overtake Joe Biden and overturn Trump’s narrow loss in Georgia.
Among those questioned before a special grand jury were ex-Trump lawyer Rudy Giuliani, Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) and Republican Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp.
Willis, a Democrat, informed a judge in January that the special grand jury had wrapped up its investigation and charging decisions were “imminent.”
The grand jury’s forewoman, Emily Kohrs, revealed in February that the panel recommended multiple indictments to Willis, but she stopped short of naming specific individuals the panel suggested be charged with crimes.
Trump, the 2024 Republican presidential primary front-runner, has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing in Georgia and described his phone call to Raffensperger as “perfect.”
In March, Trump became the first current or former US president in history to be hit with criminal charges when a Manhattan grand jury indicted him for allegedly falsifying business records related to hush money payments to porn star Stormy Daniels.
Last week, special counsel Jack Smith charged Trump with 37 felony counts related to his alleged mishandling and concealment of classified White House documents.
Trump has vehemently denied wrongdoing in both the Manhattan case and the federal case.
