Three weeks before Joe Biden was sworn in as president, a publicist for Kanye “Ye” West showed up at the suburban home of Georgia election worker Ruby Freeman and issued a threat: confess to election fraud, or she would be “in danger.”
Former President Donald Trump has long perpetuated the bogus claim that the 2020 election was stolen. Now, according to a new report from Reuters, we know that at least one associate of West was also involved in the undemocratic attempt to overturn the election. Reuters obtained police filings and body cam footage that show how publicist Trevian Kutti pressured Freeman.
Kutti’s biography lists her a member of “the Young Black Leadership Council under President Donald Trump,” and adds that in September 2018, she “was secured as publicist to Kanye West” and “now serves as West’s Director of Operations.” It is unclear if she is still in that position; both she and West — who legally changed his name to Ye in October — declined to comment.
On January 4th, Kutti and an unidentified man arrived at Freeman’s home. Kutti gave her name, and said she represented a “high-profile individual.” Freeman, a 62-year-old grandmother, called 911. “They’re saying that I need help,” she told the dispatcher, “that it’s just a matter of time that they are going to come out for me and my family.”
An officer arrived, and according to a police report, Kutti identified herself as a “crisis manager.” In the officer’s presence, Kutti repeated that Freeman “was in danger,” and had “48 hours” before “unknown subjects” would arrive at her home. The officer suggested Kutti and Freeman meet at the police station, and both women agreed.
Through a public records request, Reuters obtained body camera footage of their meeting at the station. In the recording, Kutti told Freeman, “I cannot say what specifically will take place. I just know that it will disrupt your freedom, and the freedom of one or more of your family members.”
