Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis.
Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis.John Bazemore/AP
  • A local Georgia prosecutor is moving forward with her investigation of Donald Trump.
  • Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis wants a special grand jury to assist her probe.
  • A legal expert says the development could be a concern for Trump.

Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis has requested that a special grand jury be formed to help with her office's probe into former President Donald Trump's efforts to pressure Georgia officials following the 2020 election, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports.

Earlier this Month, Willis told the Associated Press that her decision on whether or not to formally charge former President Donald could come as early as the first half of this year.

Former associates of Willis previously told Insider that a spike in crimes and a backlog in cases could make it difficult for Willis to juggle an investigation of the former president's actions with her office's day-to-day business.

Willis' request must be approved by a majority of the county's superior court judges, according to the Journal-Constitution. Special grand juries like the one Willis has requested are rarely used in the state, per the newspaper. If approved, the grand jurors would not be able to issue indictments, but they are able to help investigate and can issue subpoenas.

Michael Moore, an Obama-era former US attorney for the Middle District of Georgia, told Insider that the probe's escalation could be a concern for Trump.

"Anytime you see an investigation take a step forward, people who have something to hide probably start to get a little nervous," he said. "This is probably about seeing what testimony she can get from people and what evidence she can use."

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