This is a shocking confession.
The court clerk of Fulton County, Georgia, acknowledged the release of a document on its official website concerning former President Donald Trump’s potential criminal charges. This acknowledgment comes after Reuters reported on the document’s appearance on the court’s public site.
According to a statement from the court clerk, the release was part of a testing phase for the system. This testing occurred prior to a grand jury vote scheduled later that day to determine whether Trump would be indicted on charges related to alleged efforts to overturn his election defeat.
The court had previously issued a statement on the prior day, explaining that a media outlet had acquired a document that was deemed “fictitious.” The latest statement from the court clerk, however, clarified that even though the document bore a case number and filing date, it lacked essential components like a signed ‘true’ or ‘no’ bill, as well as an official stamp with Clerk Alexander’s name. As a result, the document was deemed unofficial and meant for testing purposes only.
The court’s statement highlighted that the document had been obtained by a media outlet utilizing the “Fulton County Press” queue on Monday. This document, similar to the one seen by Reuters before its removal, was publicly available on the court’s website designed for disseminating public records.
Members of the Trump team criticized the premature release, arguing that it demonstrated a lack of respect for the legal process. Attorneys Drew Findling and Jennifer Little, in a statement to Newsmax on Monday, expressed their concern over the Fulton County District Attorney’s Office’s handling of the grand jury process.
On Monday, the grand jury had brought forth 13 felony charges against Trump. These charges aligned with those detailed in the document initially posted on the court’s website, a document that Reuters had reported on prior to its removal.
The grand jury in Georgia invoked a law originally designed to combat organized crime groups to charge Trump with offenses related to his alleged attempts to overturn the 2020 election results, in which he was defeated by Democrat Joe Biden.
The charges, presented by Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis, implicated Trump, the leading contender for the 2024 Republican nomination, and 18 associates.