(Patriot.Buzz) – In a pivotal hearing concerning former President Donald Trump’s Georgia 2020 election case, a significant revelation that could shape the case has emerged.
Jonathan Miller, the attorney representing Misty Hampton, a former Coffee County elections official and co-defendant, acknowledged that he was responsible for leaking videos of another co-defendant’s interview with prosecutors to a single news outlet.
This admission was made during a hearing convened by Judge Scott McAfee to deliberate on Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis’ motion, submitted the previous day, seeking a court order to restrict the disclosure of discovery material.
Miller’s statement aimed to bring clarity and accountability to the court, as he expressed, “In being transparent with the court, and to make sure that nobody else gets blamed for what happened, and so that I can go to sleep well tonight, judge, I did release those videos to one outlet.”
The leaked videos were subsequently published by ABC News and acquired by The Washington Post. They contained critical information, including co-defendant Jenna Ellis mentioning that Trump adviser Dan Scavino relayed that the former president allegedly had no intention of vacating the White House “under any circumstances.”
Miller defended his actions, asserting that the released videos served to illuminate the context behind the plea deals accepted by co-defendants Kenneth Chesebro, Sidney Powell, and Scott Hall. He argued that concealing these details would mislead the public about the case’s proceedings.
Miller further emphasized that the public deserves to be informed, especially in such a highly publicized trial, challenging the district attorney’s office’s influence on shaping the trial’s narrative.
While acknowledging the sentiment, Judge McAfee questioned the legal precedence of equating pre-trial discovery with First Amendment concerns, highlighting potential complications in adjudicating the case pre-emptively in the public domain.
An attorney representing various media organizations, including The Associated Press, CNN, and The Washington Post, opposed the proposed order, arguing for transparency in the discovery process. Meanwhile, an email from the attorney of co-defendant Harrison William Prescott Floyd, initially implicating Floyd’s team in the leak, later clarified as a typographical error, further complicated the proceedings.
Most defendants concurred with a protective order suggested by co-defendant David Shafer. Judge McAfee concluded the hearing without a definitive ruling but indicated that his decision would likely align with Shafer’s proposal. He emphasized the importance of conducting the trial based on relevant and admissible evidence rather than through public opinion.
