The major development indicates that prosecutors are closing in on possible criminal charges against those involved in the effort. It also suggests the probe may be closing in on Trump himself, coming after subpoenas issued to several members of the former President’s legal team who were involved in overseeing the effort to overturn the election results in Georgia and other key battleground states. “Each of the sixteen people who signed the unofficial Certificate of Election eventually filed with the National Archives received a similar letter notifying them both that their testimony was required by the grand jury and that they were the target of the investigation.” prosecutors said Tuesday. Court filings earlier Tuesday revealed that 11 of the 16 fake GOP voters received letters notifying them that they were targets of the investigation and not just witnesses. Willis’ office informed the attorneys for those fake voters that the change in status from witness to target was the result of “new evidence” that came to light during the investigation. “As our investigation has matured and new information has come to light, in the spirit of integrity we feel it is appropriate to inform you that your client status has changed to ‘Target,’” Willis’ office said, according to the defense filing . . The Trump campaign’s role in creating fake voting documents as a way to fake Joe Biden’s victory in Georgia has come under increasing scrutiny from prosecutors in Georgia, as well as the Justice Department, in recent months. CNN previously reported that Trump campaign officials oversaw efforts to turn out ineligible voters in seven states that Trump lost. The House Select Committee investigating the January 6, 2021 riot has linked the attempt to Trump’s “seven-day plan” to overturn the election that culminated in the attack on the US Capitol. That plan, according to the committee, included fake voters, a campaign to pressure then-Vice President Mike Pence to stop counting electoral votes, and the gathering of a violent mob that Trump led to march on Capitol Hill. Attorneys for the voters say they are moving to “vacate” the grand jury summons for appearances beginning July 25, calling them “unreasonable and oppressive.” Among the 16 fraudulent voters now considered targets in the grand jury investigation is state Republican Party Chairman David Shaffer. CNN previously reported that the Fulton County DA sent a target letter to Shafer, warning him that he could face charges as part of her investigation. The court documents reflect a shift by Georgia prosecutors, who previously assured Shafer and other false Trump voters that they were considered witnesses, rather than subjects or targets, in the grand jury investigation — a notable distinction that suggests Willis’ office did not did view their actions as criminal at the time, two sources told CNN. That appears to have changed in late June, according to court filings filed Tuesday by defense attorneys, after prosecutors were told the 11 electors “were in fact planning to testify in substance at the grand jury.” Defense attorneys on Tuesday suggested Willis’ letter was a “publicity.” “The inescapable conclusion is that the change in status of the prospective electors was not prompted by new evidence or an honest belief that they have criminal exposure, but instead by an inappropriate desire to force them to publicly invoke their rights as, at best, publicity. trick,” the court filing states. Shafer, who has faced investigations by federal investigators, Georgia prosecutors and the House select committee investigating the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol, acted as a pro-Trump elector in Georgia. He also helped organize the bogus electoral roll in the Peach State, which Trump lost by nearly 12,000 votes. Willis’ office appeared to be trying to determine whether pro-Trump voters in Georgia knew their actions might have been part of a broader and potentially illegal conspiracy to pressure election officials and overturn a Biden victory, a source told CNN. . Georgia remained the focus of researchers at the state and federal level. The Atlanta-area investigation was prompted by the revelation of Trump’s infamous phone call pressuring Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger to “find” the votes needed to carry the state to him. Shaffer told a House select committee in February that the fake voter scheme came at the direction of Trump’s campaign after the then-President lost the state’s vote. CNN previously reported that Rudy Giuliani led Trump campaign officials to lead illegal voters as part of a larger plot to overturn Biden’s victory when Congress counted the Jan. 6 electoral votes. This story has been updated with additional developments.
