Georgia judge: Trump grand jury panelists ‘can talk about the final report’

The Georgia judge who oversaw the Fulton County grand jury investigation into former President Trump’s efforts to overturn the state’s 2020 election results said on Monday that the grand jury panelists “can talk about the final report.”

Judge Robert McBurney told ABC News that the panelists are only formally barred from speaking about the grand jury’s deliberations but can talk about witness testimony and the final report.

His comments come as the grand jury’s forewoman, Emily Kohrs, has faced backlash from Trump and his lawyers in recent days after she discussed the group’s report in a series of interviews with reporters last week.

In a “farewell session” with the grand jury panelists, McBurney said he “reminded them of their oath, which is a statutory obligation that they not discuss with anyone outside their group their deliberations.”

“I explained you don’t talk about what the group discussed about the witnesses’ testimony, but you can talk about witness testimony,” he added, per ABC News. “You could talk about things that the assistant district attorneys told you. … And then finally, you can talk about the final report because that is the product of your deliberations, but it’s not your deliberations.”

McBurney added that it can become an issue if jurors “synthesize the testimony” and the grand jury’s thoughts on it.

Kohrs told The New York Times that the individuals and crimes listed in the report are “not a short list.”

“I will tell you that if the judge releases the recommendations, it is not going to be some giant plot twist,” she added. “You probably have a fair idea of what may be on there. I’m trying very hard to say that delicately.”