There could be much more serious charges headed Trump's way

Although former President Donald Trump was indicted in New York Thursday, the 2024 hopeful should brace for his "much more serious charges" in Georgia, according to journalist Charles P. Pierce.

In an Esquire op-ed, Pierce references an article published Thursday by the Atlanta Journal Constitution (AJC), which the author of four books considers "extremely premature brow-furrowing," suggesting "if the former president* is acquitted in New York," Fulton County District Attorney Fani "Willis might not have the political stones to bring her case."

According to Pierce, the AJC reports:

For months, it looked like Atlanta would move first to bring criminal charges against Donald Trump. But Fulton County prosecutors lost their spot in the history books when Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg apparently secured felony indictments on unknown charges.

READ MORE: New details on Fani Willis' potential indictment of Donald Trump revealed: report

In response to the AJC's reporting, the longtime journalist insists, "That seems to me to run counter to what we've seen from Willis so far." He writes, "She hasn't taken one step backwards—Ni shagu nazad!—in her work so far. She didn't hesitate to haul political celebrities in front of he special grand jury. She's already faced some serious heat for her work."

Pierce writes:

Even if the former president* were to win in New York, so what? Willis' charges are far more serious than Bragg's are. In Atlanta, the former president* may be indicted for crimes against the republic, for offenses against the idea of popular democracy.

Former DeKalb district attorney, J. Tom Morgan, told the AJC, "The Georgia charges are far more serious and, personally, I think easier to prove."

He continued, "Bragg has to jump through hoops to make what Trump did in New York a felony. Should Trump be indicted in Georgia, the acts speak for themselves."

READ MORE: 'RICO': Georgia prosecutors considering racketeering and conspiracy charges against Trump

Charles P. Pierce's full op-ed is available at this link. The Atlanta Journal Constitution's full report is here.