Donald Trump, the former president of the United States, has launched a series of attacks on Geoff Duncan, the former lieutenant governor of Georgia, on his new social media platform, Truth Social.
Trump accused Duncan of being a “nasty disaster” and a “RINO” (Republican in name only) who should not testify in the upcoming grand jury proceedings in Fulton County, where Trump faces criminal charges for allegedly trying to interfere with the 2020 presidential election results in Georgia.
Trump’s posts on Truth Social
Trump posted several messages on Truth Social, his new social media platform that is supposed to rival Twitter and Facebook, which banned him after the January 6 Capitol riot.
In his posts, Trump claimed that he “barely” knew Duncan and that Duncan had been a “nasty disaster for those looking into the (Georgia) Election Fraud.”
Trump also said that Duncan should not appear before the grand jury, which is investigating whether Trump violated Georgia’s racketeering laws by pressuring state officials, including Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, to overturn his election loss to Joe Biden. Trump wrote: “He shouldn’t. He knows nothing!”
Trump also attacked Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis, who is leading the probe against him.
He called her a “radical left prosecutor” who is “desperate” to indict him on “ridiculous grounds.”
He denied tampering with the election and asked someone to tell the grand jury that he did not do anything wrong.
Trump’s posts on Truth Social have been widely criticized by legal experts and commentators, who said that they could amount to witness intimidation and obstruction of justice.
They also said that they could backfire on Trump and hurt his defense in the case.
Geoff Duncan’s response
Geoff Duncan, who served as Georgia’s lieutenant governor from 2019 to 2023, is a Republican who has been vocal in defending the integrity of Georgia’s election and rejecting Trump’s baseless claims of fraud.
He has also criticized Trump for spreading lies and conspiracy theories that fueled the Capitol riot and undermined democracy.
Duncan appeared on CNN on Monday and responded to Trump’s posts on Truth Social.
He said that he was not surprised by Trump’s attacks and that he was ready to testify before the grand jury if he was subpoenaed.
He said: “I’m going to tell the truth. I’m going to tell exactly what I know.”
Duncan also said that he was disappointed by Trump’s behavior and that he hoped that the Republican Party would move away from Trumpism and focus on real issues and solutions.
He said: “I think it’s time for us to turn the page. I think it’s time for us to realize that there’s a better version of our party out there.”
Duncan is not the only Republican who has been targeted by Trump for standing up to his election lies.
Raffensperger, who recorded a phone call in which Trump asked him to “find” enough votes to overturn Biden’s victory in Georgia, has also faced threats and harassment from Trump and his supporters. Raffensperger is also expected to testify before the grand jury in Fulton County.
The grand jury proceedings
The grand jury proceedings in Fulton County are part of a criminal investigation into whether Trump violated Georgia’s racketeering laws by attempting to interfere with the 2020 presidential election results in Georgia.
An investigation was launched by Willis, a Democrat who took office in January 2021.
The investigation is based on evidence that includes the phone call between Trump and Raffensperger, as well as other phone calls and letters that Trump or his allies made or sent to other state officials, such as Governor Brian Kemp and Attorney General Chris Carr, to pressure them to change or investigate the election outcome.
The investigation is also looking into whether Trump or his associates solicited or accepted any benefits or bribes in exchange for their actions, or whether they conspired with anyone else to commit any crimes.
Grand jury proceedings are expected to last for several months and could result in indictments against Trump or others involved in his scheme. If convicted, Trump could face up to 20 years in prison under Georgia law.
Conclusion
Trump accused Duncan of being a “nasty disaster” and a “RINO” who should not testify before the grand jury. He also denied tampering with the election and attacked the prosecutor in charge of the case.
Duncan responded by saying that he was not surprised by Trump’s posts and that he was ready to tell the truth before the grand jury if he was subpoenaed.
He also said that he was disappointed by Trump’s behavior and that he hoped that the Republican Party would move away from Trumpism and focus on real issues and solutions.
The grand jury proceedings are expected to last for several months and could result in indictments against Trump or others involved in his scheme.
If convicted, Trump could face up to 20 years in prison under Georgia law.
