Georgia sheriff preps security ahead of possible Trump charge
- The Fulton County DA is investigating Trump's behavior in the 2020 election
- She plans to announce this summer whether Trump will be charged
- Sheriff's deputies went to see security at Trump's other court proceedings
FILE – Former President Donald Trump speaks during the New Hampshire Republican State Committee 2023 annual meeting, Jan. 28, 2023, in Salem, N.H. (AP Photo/Reba Saldanha, File)
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ATLANTA (NewsNation) — This summer, Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis is expected to announce whether official charges will be filed against former President Donald Trump — and to prepare, deputies from the local sheriff’s office were sent to New York and Florida to get more information on security at the former president’s other court dates.
Willis has been investigating Trump over his alleged attempts to influence the 2020 Georgia general election. Trump has previously been indicted in New York in connection with a hush-money payment scheme. Just this week, he pleaded not guilty in Miami to 37 charges accusing him of mishandling classified documents after leaving the White House.
Trump has maintained his innocence in all of these instances and suggested the investigations are politically motivated.
“The Fulton County Sheriff’s Office (FCSO) is coordinating with local, state and federal agencies to ensure that our law enforcement community is equipped and prepared to protect the public,” the Sheriff’s Office said in a statement. “That coordination includes FCSO deputies traveling to New York and Miami to gather intel on security operations at court proceedings for former President Donald Trump.”
Fulton County Sheriff Patrick Labat told WSB-TV in an exclusive interview that this gave deputies “an opportunity” to learn “and make sure we’re equally prepared.”
“We’re being very proactive about our approach. We’re doing a really good job of reading tomorrow’s newspaper today, understanding what safety and security looks like,” Labat said.
In an April 24 letter, Willis wrote to Labat about the need for “heightened security and preparedness in the coming months” in light of the Georgia investigation.
“This is certainly a national story, and we want to make sure that we protect our media,” Labat said, according to WSB-TV. “We want to make sure we protect our citizens and even protect anyone that chooses to protest.”
Miami officials also upped security and worked with state and federal partners ahead of Trump’s arraignment. Both supporters and anti-Trump protestors congregated outside the federal courthouse the day of the Florida hearing.
