Donald Trump, advisers charged in Georgia for 2020 election overthrow scheme

Andy Sullivan, Jacqueline Thomsen, and Joseph Ax from Reuters report that Former U.S. President Donald Trump is facing a new round of criminal charges. A grand jury in Georgia has issued an expansive indictment, alleging that Trump made efforts to invalidate his defeat in the 2020 election to Democrat Joe Biden.

Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis filed the charges on Monday, creating further legal challenges for Donald Trump. He is currently a leading contender for the Republican nomination in the 2024 presidential election. The extensive 98-page indictment involves a total of 19 defendants and encompasses 41 criminal counts.

The accusation of racketeering, typically employed to address organized crime, was levied against all defendants, carrying a potential prison sentence of up to 20 years. Among those indicted were notable figures like Mark Meadows, Trump’s former White House chief of staff, as well as lawyers Rudy Giuliani and John Eastman.

In explaining the charges, Willis stated during a press conference that instead of adhering to Georgia’s established legal procedures for contesting elections, the defendants engaged in a criminal racketeering enterprise to undermine the outcome of Georgia’s presidential election.

Donald Trump and the other accused individuals have been given until noon EDT (1600 GMT) on Friday, August 25th, to voluntarily surrender to the authorities, as Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis stated. She intends to consolidate all 19 defendants into a single trial.

Trump’s legal team, comprising Drew Findling, Jennifer Little, and Marissa Goldberg, responded with a statement criticizing the grand jury presentation. They alleged that the presentation was one-sided and relied on witnesses who held their own personal and political agendas. The lawyers expressed their anticipation for a thorough examination of the indictment, asserting that it is likely as flawed and unconstitutional as the entire process leading up to it.

The set of 13 felony charges filed against Trump matches the details from a document that was briefly visible on the court’s website earlier in the day. This information was initially reported by Reuters before being taken down.

Attorneys representing the individuals mentioned either refrained from commenting or did not immediately respond to requests for comments.

One key event referenced in the indictment is a phone call on January 2, 2021, during which Trump urged Georgia’s top election official, Brad Raffensperger, to locate enough votes to overturn his narrow defeat in the state. However, Raffensperger declined to comply with Trump’s request. Following this incident, Trump’s supporters attempted to impede the certification of Joe Biden’s victory by storming the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021.

The indictment outlines various alleged criminal actions attributed to Trump and his associates, spanning from before the November 3, 2020, election to September 2022. These actions include providing false testimony to lawmakers about election fraud and pressuring state officials to manipulate election results.

The indictment outlines that the accused individuals endeavored to undermine the U.S. electoral process by presenting deceptive lists of electors, who are responsible for composing the Electoral College that ultimately selects the president and vice president.

BREACHING VOTING MACHINES, HARASSING ELECTION WORKERS

The indictment asserts that the defendants went so far as to breach voting equipment in a rural Georgia county, gaining access to personal voter information and images of ballots.

Additionally, the prosecutors claim that the accused harassed an election worker who was targeted by conspiracy theories.

Furthermore, the scope of the indictment extends beyond state boundaries. It alleges that individuals like Giuliani and Meadows communicated with officials in Arizona, Pennsylvania, and other locations, urging them to alter the election outcomes in those states.

The indictment references the involvement of 30 other co-conspirators, though their identities were not disclosed, nor were they formally charged.

Trump, for his part, has consistently denied any wrongdoing. Prior to the release of the indictment, his campaign issued a statement in which they accused Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis, a Democrat in elected office, of being an ardent partisan aiming to undermine his bid for re-election. The statement characterized these actions as an endeavor by the establishment to suppress the people’s choice.

In addition to the recent indictment, Donald Trump faces legal proceedings on multiple fronts. A trial is scheduled in New York state for March 2024, pertaining to a hush money payment to a porn star. This is followed by a federal trial in Florida starting in May, focused on alleged mishandling of federal classified documents. Trump has entered a plea of not guilty in both these cases.

Moreover, a third indictment awaits him in a Washington federal court. This case accuses him of unlawfully attempting to overturn the outcome of the 2020 election. Trump steadfastly maintains his innocence in this matter as well, and a trial date is yet to be determined.

Georgia, once a traditionally Republican stronghold, has now become a politically pivotal state that can significantly influence the outcome of presidential elections.

Despite numerous court cases and state investigations yielding no evidence to support his claim, Trump continues to falsely assert that he emerged victorious in the November 2020 election.

NOT HURTING HIS CAMPAIGN

Political analysts suggest that while these indictments might reinforce Trump’s backing from Republicans, they could potentially harm his prospects in the general election of November 2024, where he would need to appeal to a broader spectrum of independent-minded voters.

A July Reuters/Ipsos poll revealed that 37% of independent voters claimed that these criminal cases would diminish their likelihood of voting for Trump.

The investigation led by Fani Willis drew insights from Trump’s advisers, including Giuliani, who urged state officials not to certify the election results. Republican figures such as Raffensperger and Governor Brian Kemp, who declined to endorse Trump’s false election assertions, were also part of the testimonies.

While numerous Republican officials echoed Trump’s unfounded claims, Kemp and Raffensperger took a different stance. Raffensperger clarified that there was no factual basis to Trump’s objections, and Kemp, despite pressure from within his party, certified the election outcomes.

Since leaving office, Trump has been embroiled in legal issues. Beyond these criminal cases, a New York jury ruled against him in May, finding him liable for sexually abusing and defaming writer E. Jean Carroll. She was awarded $5 million in damages in a civil case. Another defamation lawsuit, seeking $10 million in damages, is scheduled for January. Trump consistently denies any wrongdoing in these matters.

In addition to the ongoing legal challenges, Donald Trump is scheduled to stand trial in a civil case in New York in October. This lawsuit alleges that he and his family business engaged in fraudulent activities to secure more favorable terms from lenders and insurers.

Furthermore, Trump’s company was fined $1.6 million after being found guilty of tax fraud by a New York court in December. These legal matters continue to contribute to the legal complexities surrounding Trump and his business ventures.