Prosecutors in Georgia election interference case want to hear from Alex Jones and RNC chair Ronna McDaniel
The InfoWars host and the GOP committee chair are wanted for trial testimony in Fulton County’s election interference case
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Prosecutors in Georgia are seeking witness testimony from InfoWars host and conspiracy theorist Alex Jones and the chair of the Republican National Committee for the upcoming trial of Kenneth Chesebro and Sidney Powell, who are being tried separately from Donald Trump and other co-defendants in the state’s sweeping election interference case.
Fulton County prosecutors also are seeking testimony from former Wisconsin Republican Party chair Andrew Hitt, among so-called fake electors involved in a multi-state scheme to overturn 2020 presidential election results in states that Mr Trump lost.
Prosecutors’ petitions on 10 October follow recent requests for witness testimony from former Trump campaign adviser Boris Epshteyn, conspiracy theorist Lin Wood, and three Republican activists involved with alleged efforts to submit false slates of electors to Washington DC in an attempt to subvert the election’s outcome.
Mr Jones – who joined “Stop the Steal” protests in Georgia and elsewhere, fuelled by a baseless narrative that votes were manipulated to steal the 2020 election from Mr Trump – will provide evidence to a jury surrounding Mr Chesebro’s involvement, “including, without limitation, as it relates to his participation in the march on the Capitol on January 6, 2021,” according to the filing from prosecutors.
He “possesses unique knowledge” – including his communications with Mr Chesebro, among others – of their attempts to upend election results in Georgia and other states Mr Trump lost, according to prosecutors.
Ronna McDaniel, the chair of the RNC, can testify to Mr Chesebro’s “involvement in the conspiracy, including, without limitation, as it relates to communication” between the former president and co-defendant John Eastman, a Trump-allied attorney and the chief architect of the so-called fake elector plot, according to prosecutors.
Last week, prosecutors indicated that they will seek witness testimony at trial from Mr Epshteyn, who can speak to his contacts with Ms Powell, among Trump-allied attorneys who filed spurious legal efforts to overturn election results and led an effort to seize voting machine data in Georgia’s Coffee County.
Mr Epshteyn joined Ms Powell at a 2020 press conference filled with false claims about voting machines and baselessly alleged an “algorithm” could flip votes for Mr Trump to Mr Biden.
Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis also is seeking testimony from Lin Wood, who has refuted claims that he is cooperating with prosecutors and denies that he is turning against the former president in exchange for leniency.
A joint trial for Mr Chesebro and Ms Powell is expected to begin on 23 October. A schedule for a trial for other defendants in the case, including the former president, has not yet been determined.