>>> WITH A POSSIBLE GRAND JURY
VOTE ON A TRUMP INDICTMENT AS
SOON AS TOMORROW IN GEORGIA, THE
FORMER PRESIDENT ON THE PUBLIC
ATTACK AGAIN, GOING AFTER KEY
PLAYERS AND WITNESSES IN THE
2020 ELECTION INTERFERENCE CASE.
CNN'S ELENA TUREEN JOINS ME NOW.
THIS IS AFTER BY THE WAY HE
RECEIVED A WARNING FROM THE
JUDGE NOT TO DO THINGS THAT
MIGHT BE PERCEIVED AS WITNESS
INTIMIDATION.
AND YET WE HAVE A TRUTH SOCIAL
POSTING TODAY.
>> EXACTLY.
DONALD TRUMP IS REVERTING TO THE
PLAYBOOK WE'VE NOW SEEN THESE
THREE TIMES WITH THE PREVIOUS
INDICTMENTS THAT HE IS FACING.
HE'S TRYING TO GET AHEAD OF THIS
POTENTIAL INDICTMENT IN GEORGIA
AND FRAME IT IN HIS OWN TERMS.
AND SO I THINK ONE OF THE MOST
CONCERNING THINGS PEOPLE POINTED
OUT TODAY ABOUT HIS TRUTH SOCIAL
POST IS THAT HE ATTACKED
DIRECTLY ONE OF THE KEY
WITNESSES IN THIS GEORGIA CASE
AND SAID, QUOTE, HE SHOULDN'T
TESTIFY.
THAT POST READS, "I AM READING
REPORTS THAT FAILED FORMER
LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR OF GEORGIA
GEOFF DUNCAN," NOTING THAT HE
SPELLED GEOFF'S NAME THERE,
"WILL BE TESTIFYING BEFORE THE
FULTON COUNTY GRAND JURY.
HE SHOULDN'T.
I BARELY KNOW HIM BUT HE WAS
RIGHT FROM THE BEGINNING OF THIS
WITCH HUNT A NASTY DISASTER FOR
THOSE LOOKING INTO THE ELECTION
FRAUD CASE THAT TOOK PLACE IN
GEORGIA."
HE ALSO WENT ON TO CALL HIM A,
QUOTE, LOSER.
I THINK THE KEY THING HERE, JIM,
IS IT'S UNCLEAR HOW A JUDGE, IF
THERE ARE CHARGES BROUGHT IN
THIS CASE, WOULD TRY TO TALK
ABOUT HIS SOCIAL MEDIA ACTIVITY.
WE KNOW AS YOU JUST MENTIONED
THAT IN A SEPARATE CASE, THE
FEDERAL CASE OF DONALD TRUMP'S
EFFORTS TO OVERTURN THE 2020
ELECTION RESULT SHE'S TRYING TO
IMPOSE RESTRICTIONS ON HIS
SOCIAL MEDIA ACTIVITY.
I'VE ALSO SPOKEN WITH MANY OF
DONALD TRUMP'S ADVISERS OVER THE
WEEKEND AND THEY TELL ME THAT
THEY DON'T EXPECT HIM TO STOP
POSTING ON SOCIAL MEDIA.
THEY THINK THAT IT'S HIS FIRST
AMENDMENT RIGHT TO DO SO AND
THAT ALSO IT'S HIS MOST DIRECT
WAY OF COMMUNICATING WITH VOTERS
AND THAT HE HAS THE RIGHT TO
DEFEND HIMSELF.
BUT THE KEY THING HERE, IS THIS
WITNESS INTIMIDATION.
WILL THE JUDGE ULTIMATELY DECIDE
THAT HE CAN'T BE ISSUING THESE
KINDS OF POSTS?
>> HAS THERE BEEN ANY REACTION
FROM THE COURT YET OR NO?
>> IN THIS CASE IT'S HARD TO --
THE INDICTMENT HASN'T BEEN
BROUGHT.
SO I THINK WE HAVE TO WAIT AND
SEE HOW THE JUDGE IN THIS CASE,
IF THERE IS NOT A DIEMT, HOW SHE
WOULD REACT TO THESE KINDS OF --
THESE POSTS.
>> UNDERSTOOD.
WE'LL SEE HOW SOON THAT COMES.
THANKS SO MUCH.
BORIS.
>> WE'RE NOW JOINED BY THAT KEY
WITNESS SET TO TESTIFY TOMORROW,
FORMER GEORGIA LIEUTENANT
GOVERNOR AND CNN POLITICAL
COMMENTATOR GEOFF DUNCAN.
WE'RE ALSO JOINED BY FORMER
FEDERAL PROSECUTOR RENATO
MARIOTTI.
GENTLEMEN, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR
BEING WITH US.
GEOFF, I WANT TO START WITH YOU
AND GET YOUR REACTION TO THAT
SOCIAL MEDIA POST BY DONALD
TRUMP.
HE'S INSULTING YOU AND CALLING
YOU OUT.
DO YOU BELIEVE HE'S TRYING TO
INTIMIDATE YOU AS A WITNESS?
>> WELL, THIS CLOSE INTO MY
TESTIMONY, WHICH IS GOING TO BE
TOMORROW, I'M GOING TO REFRAIN
FROM ANY COMMENT WITH THE
EXCEPTION OF SAYING, WHICH WAS
JUST POINTED OUT, HE DID
MISSPELL MY NAME.
>> AND HOW ABOUT WHAT YOU ARE
ANTICIPATING YOU'LL BE ASKED
ABOUT TOMORROW?
IF YOU WON'T COMMENT ON WHAT
TRUMP SAID, CAN YOU AT LEAST
GIVE US AN IDEA OF WHAT YOU'RE
ANTICIPATING?
>> WELL, I'M JUST GOING TO
ANSWER THE QUESTIONS AS
PRESENTED TO ME MUCH LIKE I DID
IN THE SPECIAL GRAND JURY,
WHATEVER THE QUESTIONS ARE TO
THE BEST OF MY ABILITY, I'M
GOING TO ANSWER THE QUESTIONS.
AND YOU KNOW, THIS IS AN
IMPORTANT PART OF THE HEALING
PROCESS FOR THE REPUBLICAN
PARTY.
THIS IS PAINFUL.
THIS MAY FEEL UGLY TO SOME.
BUT THIS IS PART OF THIS
PROCESS, RIGHT?
WE'VE GOT TO PUT THESE FACTS AND
FIGURES AND DETAILS AND REALITY
ON DISPLAY FOR AMERICA,
SPECIFICALLY FOR REPUBLICANS TO
SEE WHAT REALITY REALLY IS.
THE SOCIAL MEDIA GAME THAT
DONALD TRUMP HAS PLAYED OVER THE
YEARS, IT'S SHALLOW, RIGHT?
YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE ANY MORE
THAN A FEW HUNDRED CHARACTERS'
WORTH OF INFORMATION WITH NO
FACTS BEHIND IT, WITH NO DETAILS
TO STIR THE CROWD.
AND THAT'S CERTAINLY BEEN HIS
GAME FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS.
AND IT LOOKS LIKE IT'S
CONTINUING.
>> NOTABLE THAT YOU ARE NOT THE
ONLY PERSON HE HAS GONE AFTER ON
SOCIAL MEDIA.
HE'S ALSO TARGETED A NUMBER OF
OTHER OFFICIALS INVOLVED IN
THESE INVESTIGATIONS.
RENATO, TO YOU.
HOW DO YOU READ THAT SITUATION?
IS THAT APPROPRIATE?
AND IF YOU WERE PROSECUTING THIS
CASE, HOW WOULD YOU RESPOND TO
SOMETHING LIKE THAT?
>> VERY INTERESTING.
IT'S A BIZARRE SITUATION.
AND IT'S COMPLICATED BECAUSE OF
COURSE TRUMP'S RUNNING FOR
PRESIDENT AND HE'S GOT FIRST
AMENDMENT RIGHTS AND HE CAN GO
AFTER SOME OF THOSE PEOPLE,
NOT -- LIKE MIKE PEBS AND SO ON.
HE CERTAINLY HAS A RIGHT TO
CRITICIZE THE JUDGE, FOR
EXAMPLE.
ALTHOUGH IT'S UNWISE TO DO SO.
I ACTUALLY THINK WHAT THE
GOVERNMENT SHOULD DO, JACK SMITH
IN THE D.C. CASE, AND WHICH IS
WHAT I THINK THEY ARE DOING, IS
USING IT, PUTTING IT IN FRONT OF
THE JUDGE, MAKING SURE EVERY
TIME HE DOES THIS, EVERY TIME HE
GOES ACROSS THE LINE, EVERY TIME
HE DOES SOMETHING INAPPROPRIATE
OR WRONG REGARDING HIS
COMMUNICATIONS TO PUT IT IN
FRONT OF THE JUDGE AND INSPIRE
HER TO MOVE THAT TRIAL FORWARD
QUICKLY, TO INSPIRE HER NOT TO
CUT HIM ADDITIONAL BREAKS.
AND IN FACT, SHE'S ACTUALLY
MENTIONED THAT SHE MAY DO SO,
THAT HE'S TAINTING THE JURY POOL
AND THAT MAY INSPIRE HER TO MOVE
THIS EARLIER TO AVOID ANY
ADDITIONAL TAMPERING.
SO I REALLY THINK THAT'S ONE OF
THE CONSEQUENCES FOR HIM.
I WILL SAY IN GEORGIA IT SURE
DOESN'T LOOK LIKE IT'S HELPING
MATTERS THERE.
YOU KNOW, REALISTICALLY,
OBVIOUSLY THE LIEUTENANT
GOVERNOR HAS JUST SAID HE'S NOT
DETERRED FROM GIVING HIS
TESTIMONY.
IT DOESN'T SEEM TO ME THAT THE
DISTRICT ATTORNEY IS DETERRED.
USUALLY, THROWING TOMATOES AT
WITNESSES AND PROSECUTORS AND
THE JUDGE IN CASES YOU'RE IN
FRONT OF IS A REALLY BAD IDEA
FOR A CRIMINAL DEFENDANT.
>> I CAN'T IMAGINE THAT HIS
ATTORNEYS ARE ENCOURAGING HIM TO
DO THIS.
BUT THE FORMER PRESIDENT DOESN'T
SEEM TO LISTEN TO HIS ATTORNEYS
OR PERHAPS ANYONE ELSE.
GEOFF, OVER TO YOU.
I WANT TO GET YOUR PERSPECTIVE
ON THIS KEY EVIDENCE THAT CNN IS
REPORTING ON, THAT THERE ARE
TEXT MESSAGES LINKING THE TRUMP
TEAM TO THIS VOTING SYSTEMS
BREACH IN COFFEE COUNTY.
I'M WONDERING IF ANYONE FROM
TEAM TRUMP REACHED OUT TO YOU OR
PEOPLE THAT YOU KNOW OF TO TRY
TO GET ACCESS AFTER THE 2020
ELECTION TO OTHER VOTING SYSTEMS
IN GEORGIA.
>> WELL, ONCE AGAIN I'M GOING TO
REFRAIN FROM ANSWERING ANY OF
THOSE DETAILED QUESTIONS JUST
BASED ON THE NATURE OF MY
TESTIMONY TOMORROW, OR POTENTIAL
TESTIMONY.
BUT LOOK, FROM A BROADER
NARRATIVE HERE WHAT WE'RE GOING
TO SEE PUT ON DISPLAY IS JUST A
PLETHORA OF CONSPIRACY THEORIES
THAT REALLY ORIGINATED IN
SOLUTIONS IN SEARCH OF A
PROBLEM.
HEY, LET'S DO THIS AND THEN TRY
TO GO FIND A SCENARIO SOMETHING
IN GOOD GOOD, WHETHER IT BE
STATE FARM ARENA OR COFFEE
COUNTY OR BRAD RAFFENSPERGER'S
OFFICE OR DOMINION MACHINES.
I MEAN, THE LIST IS ENDLESS.
AND YOU KNOW, LOOK, AMERICA IS
BEGGING FOR NEW LEADERSHIP RIGHT
NOW.
BEGGING.
BOTH SIDES OF THE AISLE.
A MAJORITY OF DEMOCRATS DON'T
WANT TO SEE JOE BIDEN RUN AGAIN.
A MAJORITY OF REPUBLICANS DON'T
WANT TO SEE DONALD TRUMP RUN
AGAIN.
BUT THIS PRIMARY PROCESS HAS GOT
IT SHORT-CIRCUITED JUST FEELING
LIKE VICTIMS OF GRAVITY.
THIS IS A PAINFUL PART OF THE
PROCESS FOR REPUBLICANS.
I DO BELIEVE WHEN THIS FINALLY
GETS BEHIND US WE WILL BE A
BETTER PARTY FOR IT AND A BETTER
COUNTRY FOR IT.
>> GEOFF, A VERY DISCIPLINED
WITNESS IN THIS GRAND JURY
PROCESS OBVIOUSLY.
RENATO, OVER TO YOU.
YOU HEARD FROM GEOFF TALKING
ABOUT THE OVERARCHING NARRATIVE
OF WHAT VOTERS ARE LOOKING FOR.
IN THIS PROCESS DOES IT SEEM TO
YOU THAT SOMETHING COULD BE
DISCOVERED LIKE THESE TEXT
MESSAGES THAT MIGHT SWAY VOTERS
TO THINK DIFFERENTLY?
IS THERE ENOUGH EVIDENCE THERE
NOT ONLY TO SUCCEED IN A CO
COURTROOM BUT IN THE COURT OF
PUBLIC OPINION?
>> WELL, YOU KNOW, PUBLIC
OPINION CAN BE A CHALLENGE TO
MOVE, RIGHT?
AND I THINK AS THE LIEUTENANT
GOVERNOR JUST MENTIONED
SOMETIMES EVEN WHERE THERE'S NO
FACTS, RIGHT?
WHERE TRUMP IS JUST, YOU KNOW,
TWEETING THINGS OUT OR IN THIS
CASE TRUTHING IT OUT THERE'S NO
FACTS.
IT'S OFTEN CONTRARY TO THE
FACTS.
AND SOMETIMES IT TAKES TIME FOR
THOSE FACTS TO REACH THE PUBLIC.
WHAT I WILL SAY REGARDING ALL OF
THIS IS FROM A LEGAL PERSPECTIVE
SOME OF THESE FACTS, AND YOU
ALLUDED TO A MOMENT AGO THIS
EXCLUSIVE CNN REPORTING ABOUT
THE TEXT MESSAGES RELATED TO THE
BREACH.
THAT WOULD HAVE A DEVASTATING
IMPACT IN FRONT OF A JURY IF
THERE WAS A CONCERTED EFFORT BY
TRUMP AND HIS ASSOCIATES TO TRY
TO BREACH A VOTING SYSTEM.
THAT'S THE SORT OF THING THAT
YOU CAN'T EXPLAIN AWAY.
I THINK EVERYONE UNDERSTANDS
THAT THAT'S A CRIME.
A TYPICAL JUROR WHO'S CALLED TO
ENGAGE IN JURY SERVICE IS GOING
TO GET THAT.
AND IT COULD HAVE AN IMPACT IN
OTHER CASES LIKE THE JACK SMITH
JANUARY 6th CASE AS WELL.
>> RENATO MARIOTTI, GEOFF
DUNCAN, THANK YOU BOTH FOR THE
TIME.
APPRECIATE YOUR EXPERTISE.