ATLANTA — Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis is requesting backup protection from the FBI as she and her office conduct an investigation into former President Donald Trump's interference in the 2020 election.
"I am asking you to immediately conduct a risk assessment of the Fulton County Courthouse and Government Center, and that you provide protective resources to include intelligence and federal agents," Willis wrote in a letter to the FBI that was obtained by 11Alive.
The Superior Court of Fulton County granted District Attorney Fani Willis' request for a special grand jury as her office investigates the former president's efforts and actions. Starting May 2, the grand jury can be drawn, according to court documents.
A special grand jury is typically called to investigate one specific topic, in this case, if Trump interfered in the 2020 election. It will have the power to subpoena witnesses but it does not have the authority to issue an indictment. Instead, the special grand jury will produce a report on its findings and it will be up to Willis and her office to pursue charges. If that happens, the case will go in front of a regular jury.
In the letter sent Sunday, Willis highlighted multiple references Trump has made to the investigation at an event in Conroe, Texas, which she felt "escalated" possible security concerns for her and her staff.
"lf these radical, vicious, racist prosecutors do anything wrong or illegal, I hope we are going to have in this country the biggest protests we have ever had in Washington, D.C., in New York, in Atlanta and elsewhere because our country and our elections are corrupt,” Trump reportedly said at the event.
Another statement from the same Texas event, which Willis quoted in the letter, reads:
“It really is prosecutorial misconduct at the highest level. These prosecutors are vicious, horrible people. They’re racist and they’re very sick. They’re mentally sick. They’re going after me without any protection of my rights by the Supreme Court or most other courts. In reality they’re not after me, they’re after you and I just happen to be the person that’s in the way. That’s what they’re after. It’s been going on for years.”
Willis also pointed to a statement from the former president regarding those involved in the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol, with Trump insinuating that - if elected in 2024 - he may pardon those convicted.
"We must work together to keep the public safe and ensure that we do not have a tragedy in Atlanta similar to what happened at the United States Capitol," Willis concluded.
It is unclear if her office has already received any threats.