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Special Grand Jury vs Trump – More Corruption in Georgia

Special Grand Jury vs Trump – More Corruption in Georgia

Before the mad dogs on the left misrepresent my commentary, allow me to make something very clear 

This commentary does NOT address the merits of the election case against President Trump being pursued in Georgia.  I make no judgment in the commentary as to whether he is guilty of election misconduct or not – or even whether he should be indicted or not.  The only issue is the grand jury concept as it is playing out in Georgia.

On several occasions, I have expressed my opinion of the grand jury as a law enforcement vehicle.  The United States is only one of two nations that utilizes this archaic Medieval and unfair system of adjudication.  The other is Liberia.

In an attempt to mitigate the unfairness of the process to innocent parties, the work of the grand jury has been historically secret.  In fact, it has been a criminal act for witnesses, jurors or prosecutors to reveal details of the deliberations until an indictment is handed down.

The purpose of a grand jury is to issue indictments – as opposed to a prosecutor issuing them.  In Georgia, we have seen an even more corrosive version of a grand jury.  It is called a SPECIAL grand jury.  And what is so special about it, you might ask?

First of all, a Special Grand Jury cannot issue indictments – the one an only job of a traditional grand jury.  It changes the process from a legal or judicial process to a political process.  It does not create an indictment for a real court, but merely fodder for speculation, rumors, and propaganda for the court-of-public-opinion.

In a previous commentary, I chastised the judge for releasing a portion of the special grand jury findings that created a flood of media speculation without any hard details.  The judge’s release provided not more information than an undisclosed number of members of the Special Grand Jury were going to recommend that an unspecified number of unnamed individuals be indicted by the local Fulton County  District Attorney, Fani Willis — who empaneled the Special Grand Jury in the first place.  More details have been leaked since.

As might be expected, that set off round after round of baseless and biased speculation on both sides of the political divide.  It resulted in more of a disservice to an informed public than a service.

I am not going to comment based on an assumption.  The foreman of the Special Grand Jury, Emily Kohrs, has been making the rounds in the media to offer tantalizing hints and bits of information about the deliberations – and Judge Robert McBurney has said it is okay for her to talk about it in public.  I assume that means that a Special Grand Jury does not have the legal requirement of privacy or secrecy.  Otherwise, the prosecutors would be pressing charges against Kohrs.

Obviously, Kohrs is enjoying her 15 minutes of fame.  She was thrilled to tattle over questions like: “Will we know that names of those recommended for indictments?”  And like a contestant on a television game show, Kohrs coly responded that some names would be known – others maybe not.  (Some media talking heads even said that  Kohrs was “making a lot of news.”  Really?)

Though she did not name names, at least one newsie interpreted Kohrs’ figurative winking as confirmation that Trump would be among those recommended for indictment.  That is scurrilous speculation eve if it turns out to be true.

While Democrats and the left-wing media are hoping – and even reporting – that Trump is going to get his comeuppance in the Georgia case, the reckless conduct of Burney and Kohrs may actually help Trump defend himself.

A number of prosecutors have already expressed fear that these early warning alerts may give Trump’s lawyers a roadmap to a more effective defense strategy.  Even worse, they could try to have the entire case against Trump thrown out of court based on grand jury misconduct.  That would not mean Trump is off the hook – but that the entire process will have to start all over.

In retrospect … if prosecutor Willis thought there was sufficient evidence to indict Trump or whoever, then why not just issue the indictments?  If there was a good reason to kick it over to a grand jury, why not a traditional grand jury and allow them to indict or not?

Why this judicial circus?  Why create a prolonged period of baseless speculation, gossip, and innuendo that serves no purpose other than to provide fodder for the media mill – needlessly creating divisive public debate and consternation based on the unknown?

What we see in Georgia is a very bad judicial system worsened by very bad implementation.

So, there ‘tis.

About The Author

Larry Horist

So, there ‘tis… The opinions, perspectives and analyses of businessman, conservative writer and political strategist Larry Horist. Larry has an extensive background in economics and public policy. For more than 40 years, he ran his own Chicago based consulting firm. His clients included such conservative icons as Steve Forbes and Milton Friedman. He has served as a consultant to the Nixon White House and travelled the country as a spokesman for President Reagan’s economic reforms. Larry professional emphasis has been on civil rights and education. He was consultant to both the Chicago and the Detroit boards of education, the Educational Choice Foundation, the Chicago Teachers Academy and the Chicago Academy for the Performing Arts. Larry has testified as an expert witness before numerous legislative bodies, including the U. S. Congress, and has lectured at colleges and universities, including Harvard, Northwestern and DePaul. He served as Executive Director of the City Club of Chicago, where he led a successful two-year campaign to save the historic Chicago Theatre from the wrecking ball. Larry has been a guest on hundreds of public affairs talk shows, and hosted his own program, “Chicago In Sight,” on WIND radio. An award-winning debater, his insightful and sometimes controversial commentaries have appeared on the editorial pages of newspapers across the nation. He is praised by audiences for his style, substance and sense of humor. Larry retired from his consulting business to devote his time to writing. His books include a humorous look at collecting, “The Acrapulators’ Guide”, and a more serious history of the Democratic Party’s role in de facto institutional racism, “Who Put Blacks in That PLACE? -- The Long Sad History of the Democratic Party’s Oppression of Black Americans ... to This Day”. Larry currently lives in Boca Raton, Florida.

12 Comments

  1. frank stetson

    First, let me say I am all for evolving the grand jury process into one using preliminary hearings without a jury.

    Juries themselves are a British thing and perhaps not necessary either, especially for the lesser crimes.

    That said, we also believe in State’s Rights, being a nation of laws, and nothing done here in Georgia is illegal.

    “I chastised the judge for releasing a portion of the special grand jury findings that created a flood of media speculation without any hard details” You know, I am not sure I like this judge personally, but I do support his policies…..

    “And like a contestant on a television game show, Kohrs coly responded that some names would be known – others maybe not. (Some media talking heads even said that Kohrs was “making a lot of news.” Really?)” Really, really? Why didn’t you just look up Georgia law to see she can talk about ANYTHING except actual deliberations, names being considered deliberations. Its’ been all over the news IF you bothered to research…. And contestant in a game show? More like Salman Rusdie in hiding from murderous Magarat religious sect. Death threats abound, not the IRS just coming for prize money taxes.

    ” It does not create an indictment for a real court, but merely fodder for speculation, rumors, and propaganda for the court-of-public-opinion.” which seems so apropos for the subject of this case, a process that’s like looking in the mirror. Perfect! What’s in your wallet?

    “More details have been leaked since.” Yeah, like “I’m gonna be indicted and arrested on Tuesday,” oh wait, that’s the other case of whining about due process long overdue.

    “As might be expected, that set off round after round of baseless and biased speculation on both sides of the political divide. It resulted in more of a disservice to an informed public than a service.” I feel the same way about 4 years of total lying spew coming from the oval office. Remember the sharpie drawn Hurricane path? Was that a public service?

    “Judge Robert McBurney has said it is okay for her to talk about it in public.” Oh yeah, it’s the law too.

    “I assume that means that a Special Grand Jury does not have the legal requirement of privacy or secrecy.” Actually, they have the right of free speech “trumping” your claim to privacy. You choose now to not champion free speech? Hell, you champion her right to lie about it. Get over it snowflake….

    “A number of prosecutors have already expressed fear that these early warning alerts may give Trump’s lawyers a roadmap to a more effective defense strategy.” Roadmap? They have discovery, what do they need a stinkin roadmap for?

    “Why this judicial circus?” Hey, pass the peanuts this way, I’m lovin it.

    Can’t think of a better guy to feel the hot sting at the end of the warm fist of braggadocio. Good for Georgia. Whine on Mr. Horist, your snowflake is magnificent.

    • Tom

      Let me guess you are one of the one that think judge shopping is a good thing.

      • Frank stetson

        I like to shop

    • Tom

      Great response, I loved the debate form of response writing you did here on this one. I do not know much about GA legal processes, but I did think your response was great comedy! It sort of reminded me of the Ali-Cosell interviews after a fight and how Ali used to beat up on Cosell. We all loved the beating and we loved Howard’s stupid look when being beat up.

      One serious point. On the news today it was mentioned that a significant part of the Dem party does not think all of these cases against Trump are wise. He is actually gaining more electorate support for what he is now calling his “persecution”, not “prosecution” and his funding is going way up again. That concerns me. The Dems may be putting him on a course of total control of the GOP in the hopes of defeating him at the polls, which may backfire. They need to stop this Stormy Daniels pay for silence case. We all know Trump likes petting kitty cats, so its no big deal to most of us. The strongest case is the GA “find me 12,800 votes” case. But even this case is iffy because Trump will be able to weasel his way out of that phone call that election interference was not his intent.

      Now, Larry sometimes confuses me with these posts. Here it seems like Larry is arguing against the process of witnesses, discussion, testimony, free speech, state sovereignty in its processes, and the right of the team hearing the evidence to deliberate and reach a consensus conclusion. Yet in other posts, he also rails against China and their much quicker processes that do not include any of the aforementioned democratic attributes. In China, lower crimes have a prosecutor, defense advocate if you can afford one, and three supposedly independent decision makers. And the government facts are heard and the case is decided quickly. Bigger state crimes have a seven person team. I am sure Larry knows this from his dealings in China. Yet he rails against them. Sometimes it is hard to tell what Larry is really for? Very frustrating.

      Personally, I think the documents case is the best case and has the backing of security law. But Biden is probably blocking this because he knows if Trump is convicted, then he is next up to bat. And that will spill over into Hunter issues and potential crime family issues.

  2. THOMAS

    Our Legal System is totally broken because there are those that twist and subject others just to get what they want no matter what exactly the LAW Says ! Georgia is no exception they do as they please with elections and screw whom ever it effects !

  3. frank stetson

    More peanuts!!!

    Sad to say, Larry, but yeah, I am loving this.

  4. Tom

    If it comes from most of our legal system you can count on it that it is most likely corrupt. That is the problem with judge shopping. They all do it and the PEOPLE OF AMERICA have no way to stop it. We truly need to get back to a blind Justice System. If we don’t we we see this GREAT Country become a third world country. By the comments of Larry and others it should be very clear that this is true. For the ones that don’t believe that is true just hope you are never the ones that has to be in front of the corrupt legal system. Far to many people are being treated very unfairly in the legal system.

  5. Darren

    I was just wondering, if Larry were to run this article like other Democratic Rags, even the old Twitter, Your opinion would not have seen the Light of day Frank.
    Democracy as Chucky Schumer would say.

    • Frank stetson

      It’s his right as a business owner; that’s the law, genius.

      There is no right of free speech at a private business.

  6. Americafirst

    Wow, Frank, Great documentary. If you had so researched, you would have found that Donald Trump IS the President of the United States of America and Commander in Chief, having been reinaugurated on 3/11/20 with full honors by the Military which there happens to be video proof of this. Joseph Robinette Biden was inaugurated at the wrong, illegal time with a funeral procession instead of the full honors procession befitting a President. Biden also is dead, having been executed at Gitmo, There is proof of this also, if you even knew how to research. If you look hard enough, you would find a photo of his grave. Biden has been replaced by clones and body doubles. The face of Biden is not the same face of the real human Biden of 4 years ago. If he, or the clones or body doubles are President, they would only be president of the united states corporation, inc which is a now defunct De Facto government of 10 square miles of foreign land located in the United States, otherwise known as Washington DC. There is so much more to this story, but somehow I do not think it would matter to you as you are a stubborn man that wants his own 15 minutes of fame

    • Tom

      Wow, In this US Navy Vietnam Era Veteran’s opinion, the only thing more pathetic than your response is that I actually took time to read it. Please do not multiply. I am normally against homosexuality, but in your case I will make an exception and recommend it!!! And please to check in at a local mental health facility and get a check up, or, better yet, just check yourself in – most insurance policies will cover you for a five day tune up dude!!! And do have some peanuts!!!

  7. Georgine Wetzel

    NEVER have I ever heard of a Grand Jury being freely able to discuss their findings. For the Georgia judge to leak anything is beyond reprehensible.He should be disbarred. As for the “fruitcake”jury foreman, she should be in jail for her 12 seconds of “fame”.Seems to me a gag order is missing for EVERYBODY!