Thu. Apr 25th, 2024

Trump posts Georgia jail mugshot to X (twitter), reacts to arrest

 

Former President Donald Trump was processed at the Fulton County Jail Thursday, August 24 on charges brought by District Attorney Fani Willis that he tried to overturn the 2020 result in Georgia.

Fast Facts

  • Trump processed and released from Fulton County Jail Thursday, August 24. He is surrendering to face charges brought by District Attorney Fani Willis that he tried to overturn the 2020 election results in the state.
  • A hearing will take place at a later date.
  • Trump posted his mugshot to X (formerly Twitter), his first post since being banned from the platform in January 2020.
  • Judge Scott McAfee of the Fulton County Superior Court set bond for the former president, and current 2024 GOP presidential frontrunner, at $200,000
  • Trump and more than a dozen others were charged out of the Fulton County probe, including his former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows, his former attorneys Rudy Giuliani, Sidney Powell, Jenna Ellis, Kenneth Chesebro, Jeff Clark, John Eastman, among others
  • The charges include violating the Georgia RICO Act—the Racketeer Influenced And Corrupt Organizations Act; Solicitation of Violation of Oath by a Public Officer and more.

Trump campaign releases ‘Never Surrender’ merchandise with former president’s mugshot

Hours after former President Donald Trump’s booking photo at the Fulton County Jail in Atlanta, Georgia, was released, the official store of his 2024 campaign added eight new items featuring the historic mugshot.

Ranging from $12 to $34, the items available include a bumper sticker, a coffee mug, koozies in black and white, and short-sleeve and long-sleeve shirts in black and white. All eight items include Trump’s mugshot, the “NEVER SURRENDER!” tagline and the Trump 2024 Make America Great Again logo.

The eight “Never Surrender” items available on the Trump merchandise website with the former president’s mugshot. Screenshot/Official Trump Store Website

In addition to the new merchandise, Trump added the photo to his campaign website with the following note before giving the option to donate to his campaign:

“Today, at the notoriously violent jail in Fulton County, Georgia, I was ARRESTED despite having committed NO CRIME.”

“The American people know what’s going on. What has taken place is a travesty of justice and ELECTION INTERFERENCE. The Left wants to intimidate YOU out of voting for a political outsider who puts the American people FIRST. But today, I walked into the lion’s den with one simple message on behalf of our entire movement: I WILL NEVER SURRENDER OUR MISSION TO SAVE AMERICA.”

Trump says getting his mugshot taken was ‘not a comfortable feeling’

 

Trump says taking a mugshot was ‘not a comfortable feeling, especially when you’ve done nothing wrong’
EXCLUSIVE: Former President Trump reacted to taking his first mugshot Thursday night, telling Fox News Digital in an exclusive interview that it was “not a comfortable feeling—especially when you’ve done nothing wrong.”

FOX DIGITAL EXCLUSIVE : Former President Trump said Georgia officials “insisted” he have a mugshot taken Thursday night during processing at the Fulton County Jail, telling Fox News Digital in an exclusive interview that doing so was “not a comfortable feeling—especially when you’ve done nothing wrong.”

The former president and current 2024 Republican front-runner turned himself in Thursday night at the Fulton County Jail in Atlanta after being charged out of District Attorney Fani Willis’ investigation into his alleged efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election in the state.

Trump, in an exclusive interview with Fox News Digital Thursday night, said officials in Georgia “insisted” on a mugshot. “They insisted on a mugshot and I agreed to do that,” he said. “This is the only time I’ve ever taken a mugshot.”

He added: “It is not a comfortable feeling—especially when you’ve done nothing wrong.”

“This is all about election interference,” Trump said. “It all comes through Washington and the DOJ and Crooked Joe Biden—nothing like this has ever happened in our country before.”

Trump tweets for the first time since getting banned from Twitter

Former President Donald Trump posted to X (formerly Twitter) for the first time since he was banned from the platform in January 2020.

Trump tweeted an image of his mug shot, with captions “ELECTION INTERFERENCE” and “NEVER SURRENDER!”

 

 

Twitter put a “lifetime ban” on Trump’s account after the Jan. 6, 2021 riot at the Capitol. Elon Musk reinstated the former president’s account after he purchased the company in 2022, but Trump had not posted until Thursday.

Trump’s mug shot was taken at the Fulton County Jail in Atlanta, Georgia earlier Thursday when he was booked and released on charges related to his alleged efforts to overturn the 2020 election.

Twitter was Trump’s main communication platform throughout his 2016 presidential campaign, and he famously used the social media site during his presidency to snipe at rivals, discuss White House policy and praise supporters.

He told Fox News last year that despite his account being restored, he would continue to post on his own social media platform, Truth Social.

Donald Trump mugshot released, first ever for a former US president

Former President Donald Trump’s mugshot has been released after he was booked into the Fulton County Jail in Atlanta, Georgia on Thursday.

Read more about Trump’s mugshot here.

The mugshot is the first ever taken by a former U.S. president and comes as Trump faces 13 charges relating to his alleged efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election in the state.

The 13 counts against Trump include: violating the Georgia RICO Act – the Racketeer Influenced And Corrupt Organizations Act; Solicitation of Violation of Oath by a Public Officer; Conspiracy to Commit Impersonating a Public Officer; Conspiracy to Commit Forgery in the First Degree; Conspiracy to Commit False Statements and Writings; Conspiracy to Commit Filing False Documents; Conspiracy to Commit Forgery in the First Degree; Filing False Documents; and Solicitation of Violation of Oath by a Public Officer.

Trump Force One departs Atlanta after Trump jail release

He turned himself in at the jail after he was charged with 13 counts stemming from the state probe into his alleged efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election in the state.

The court had set Trump’s bail at $200,000. He was quickly processed and released.

Fox News Digital has learned his formal arraignment, where he is expected to plead not guilty, will take place sometime early next month.

Trump speaks out after release from Georgia jail

“This should never happen. If you challenge an election, you should be able to challenge an election,” Trump said.

“I should have every right to do that. You have seen many people you have been watching over the years doing the same thing, whether it’s Hillary Clinton or Stacey Abrams or many others,” he said.

Trump added that the country would have “very dishonest elections” without the right to challenge them, before going on to tout the level of support he said he’s been receiving.

“This is their way of campaigning. This is one instance, there are three other instances. It’s election interference,” he added, appearing to reference the Biden administration.

Trump weight listed as 215 pounds in jail booking

Trump weight listed as 215 pounds in jail booking

According to the record, his height is listed as 6’3.

Trump’s weight was listed as 239 pounds in his 2018 physical examination by then-White House physician Ronny Jackson, who now serves in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Trump released from Georgia jail after booking

Former President Trump turned himself in Thursday night at the Fulton County jail in Atlanta, Georgia after he was charged with 13 counts stemming from the state probe into his alleged efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election in the state.

The court had set Trump’s bail at $200,000. He was quickly processed and released.

Fox News Digital has learned his formal arraignment, where he is expected to plead not guilty, will take place sometime early next month.

Trump arrives at Georgia jail

Former President Donald Trump has arrived at the Fulton County Jail in Atlanta, Georgia to surrender on charges related to his alleged efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election in the state.

He is expected to have a mugshot taken and will be booked, but will not attend a hearing until next month.

The 13 counts against Trump include: violating the Georgia RICO Act – the Racketeer Influenced And Corrupt Organizations Act; Solicitation of Violation of Oath by a Public Officer; Conspiracy to Commit Impersonating a Public Officer; Conspiracy to Commit Forgery in the First Degree; Conspiracy to Commit False Statements and Writings; Conspiracy to Commit Filing False Documents; Conspiracy to Commit Forgery in the First Degree; Filing False Documents; and Solicitation of Violation of Oath by a Public Officer.

Trump supporters rally outside Atlanta jail ahead of his surrender

Supporters of former President Donald Trump are rallying outside the Fulton County Jail in Atlanta, Georgia ahead of his surrender later this evening.

Fox News’ Bryan Llenas reported that around 100 supporters of the former president gathered with flags and other pro-Trump signs and apparel as sheriff’s deputies stood watch.

Trump Force One landed at the Atlanta airport just after 7:00 p.m. ET. The former president is currently en route to the jail.

Trump Force One arrives in Atlanta ahead of jailhouse surrender

Former President Donald Trump has arrived in Atlanta, Georgia ahead of his expected surrender at the Fulton County Jail on charges related to his alleged efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election in the state.

Trump Force One landed at Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport shortly after 7:00p.m. ET, and will travel directly to the jail from there.

He is expected to have a mugshot taken and will be booked, but will not attend a hearing until next month.

Democrats turn to social media to mock Rudy Giuliani mugshot: ‘Should we blast it everywhere?’

Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., mocked former President Donald Trump’s ex-lawyer Rudy Giuliani after the latter’s mugshot was released in Fulton County, Georgia’s case over the 2020 election.

Democrats turn to social media to mock Rudy Giuliani mugshot: ‘Should we blast it everywhere?’
Rudy Giuliani’s Fulton County mughshot was met with glee by Democrats on social media. “Should we blast it everywhere?” one New York-based anti-Trump activist asked.

Giuliani, the former mayor of New York City, is one of 18 named co-conspirators in the ex-president’s fourth criminal indictment in under six months. Trump and the other defendants are accused of conspiring to overturn the results of the 2020 election in Georgia.

Giuliani’s booking photo made waves on social media, including with Trump’s Democrat critics.

“Smile Rudy your[sp] on camera,” Omar quipped on her Instagram story.

Former Sen. Al Franken, D-Minn., also poked fun at Giuliani’s image, quipping on X, formerly known as Twitter, “I wonder who he’s angry at?”

Trump en route to Atlanta ahead of expected surrender to Fulton County authorities

Former President Donald Trump is en route to Atlanta, Georgia ahead of his expected surrender at the Fulton County Jail on charges related to his alleged efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election in the state.

Trump’s plane departed New Jersey earlier in the evening, and is expected to arrive at Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport shortly after 7:00p.m. ET.

He is expected to have a mugshot taken and will be booked, but will not attend a hearing until next month.

Who is Harrison Floyd? Former Black Voices for Trump director being held in Georgia jail

 

Harrison Floyd, the former Black Voice for Trump executive director, is being held in the Fulton County Jail in Atlanta, Georgia after turning himself in on Thursday in connection to District Attorney Fani Willis’ investigation into alleged efforts to overturn the 2020 election.

Floyd was allegedly involved in efforts to pressure poll workers into promoting fraud allegations in favor of former President Donald Trump following the election, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

According to court records, Floyd is a former U.S. Marine who was active with the pro-Trump group. He was arrested in Maryland three months ago for allegedly assaulting FBI agents serving him a subpoena to appear before a grand jury for an unknown reason.

Fulton County jail records show Floyd is being held with no bond. He is the only person indicted in connection with Willis’ investigation that did not negotiate bond terms prior to his surrender.

McConnell plows through farm bill speech with no mention of Trump hours before expected arrest

Senate GOP Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., gave a policy-heavy speech in Louisville, Kentucky, on Thursday morning, hours before another top Republican, former President Donald Trump, is due to turn himself in at the Fulton County, Georgia, jailhouse.

McConnell plows through farm bill speech with no mention of Trump hours before expected arrest
Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., gave a policy-heavy speech at a Kentucky Farm Bureau event hours before former President Donald Trump is expected to surrender at a Georgia jailhouse.

Unsurprisingly, Trump’s name and impending arrest did not come up in McConnell’s remarks.

Speaking at the Kentucky Farm Bureau Country Ham Breakfast, McConnell blamed high inflation rates on the federal government’s spending during the COVID-19 pandemic, discussed Congress’ effort to reauthorize the Farm Bill and championed the $1.2 trillion bipartisan infrastructure deal struck under President Biden in 2021.

It’s a stark contrast to the media circus surrounding the former president’s impending appearance in Georgia. Reporters and protesters from both sides are already gathered after Trump declared on Truth Social that he would “proudly get arrested” Thursday.

Who are the 19 defendants in the Georgia Trump indictment?

 

Former President Donald Trump was indicted for the fourth time, and will surrender in Fulton County jail, Georgia.

Additionally, 18 others were indicted. Authorities say they were involved in illegal efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election in the state. Charges were brought by District Attorney Fani Willis.

Trump is facing 13 counts in the latest indictment for alleged attempts to overturn the 2020 presidential election results in Georgia. Other defendants include the following:

Former Trump attorney Rudy Giuliani, lawyers John Eastman, Ray Smith III and Robert Cheeley, former Trump chief of staff Mark Meadows, former Trump campaign attorney Kenneth Chesebro, former Justice Department official Jeffrey Clark, former members of Trump legal team Jenna Ellis and Sidney Powell, ex-Trump staffer Michael Roman, former chairman of the Georgia Republican Party David Shafer, Georgia state. Sen. Shawn Still, Illinois police chaplain Stephen Lee, Black Voices for Trump executive director Harrison Floyd, publicist Trevian Kutti, former Coffee County Republican Party in Georgia chairwoman Cathy Latham, 2020 Fulton County Republican poll watcher Scott Hall and former Coffee County, Georgia, election supervisor Misty Hampton.

Judge approves October trial date for one Trump co-defendant

A Georgia judge approved a rapid trial date for one of former President Donald Trump’s co-defendants in the Fulton County case related to the 2020 election.

Judge Scott McAfee ordered a trial date for Oct. 23 for Kenneth Chesebro, who filed a motion for a speedy trial. That leaves just two months for arraignment, evidence discovery, motions and pretrial conferences.

The Oct. 23 trial date, however, only applies to Chesebro. “At this time, these deadlines do not apply to any co-defendant,” Judge McAfee’s order states.

Chesebro faces seven charges, including a violation of the Georgia’s RICO Act—the Racketeer Influenced And Corrupt Organizations Act.

Fulton County DA asks court to set trial date for Trump and 18 co-defendants in October
Fulton County DA Fani Willis has requested an October 23, 2023, start date for the trial of former President Donald Trump and 18 co-defendants in the Georgia 2020 election case.

Trump’s attorney earlier on Thursday told the court in a filing that the former president opposed the October trial date.

Steven Sadow, an Atlanta defense attorney hired to represent Trump in the Georgia case, wrote that his client “will be filing a timely motion to sever his case from that of co-defendant Chesebro, who has filed a demand for speedy trial, or any other co-defendant who files such a demand.”

Who has surrendered in Fulton County?

Former President Donald Trump will be the latest co-defendants to turn himself in at an Atlanta, Georgia jail and have his mugshot taken.

So far the co-defendants who have had their mugshots taken include:

Former chief of staff Mark Meadows, former NYC Mayor Rudy Giuliani, former Black Voices for trump executive director Harrison Floyd, lawyer John Eastman, Scott Hall, Cathy Latham, ex-Georgia GOP Chair David Shafer, attorney Kenneth Cheseboro, attorney Sidney Powell, attorney Ray Smith and lawyer Jenna Ellis.

Jonathan Turley: ‘Very likely’ we will see a Trump mugshot

Fox News contributor Jonathan Turley said it’s likely the former President Donald Trump will have his mugshot taken to turn himself in on Georgia charges on “The Story with Martha MacCallum.”

“It appears to most of us being clearly gratuitous why you would need a mugshot of the most recognizable face in the United States, if not one of the most in the world. But that is going to be part of this process as part of this process, as is the bond that he will have to pay,” Turley said.

After Trump surrenders for arrest, booking and release, the case will proceed through the Fulton County court system.

Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis filed charges against Trump and 18 other defendants on charges related to the 2020 election and Trump’s claims it was stolen.

The 41-count indictment details what prosecutors say was a conspiracy to reject the 2020 election. Turley has previously argued that the indictment is “excessive” and “dangerous,” but it also should be taken “seriously” by the Trump team given the nature of the charges.

What happens after an indictment?

Former President Donald Trump has been indicted for the fourth time this year, with 13 charges against him for alleged efforts to overturn election results in the state of Georgia during the 2020 presidential election.

There are 18 others who have been indicted alongside Trump. Now that the indictment has happened, the next step of the process will be an arraignment.

During an arraignment, the federal criminal defendants appear in court. While in court, the charges are read and the defendant is asked to enter a “guilty” or “not guilty” plea.

After an arraignment, there are several steps that come before a trial.

The prosecution and defense will come together and discuss the evidence and witnesses that will be involved in the case. Before a trial occurs, a plea bargain is discussed, where a defendant can plead guilty to a lesser charge. If there is no plea bargain reached, this is when a case will move to trial.

During a trial, a jury will be selected, witnesses and evidence will be displayed from both sides and eventually a verdict will be reached. If the defendant is found guilty, then sentencing will occur.

Fulton County Jail where Trump may be booked is under DOJ investigation

Fulton County Jail inmate LaShawn Thompson’s family says he died after allegedly being eaten alive by insects and bedbugs. (Harper Law Firm)

The Department of Justice (DOJ) is actively investigating the jail where former President Donald Trump may be booked after his arrest in Fulton County.

DOJ opened an investigation into conditions inside the Fulton County Jail last month after an “extensive” review of publicly-available information. That review included a report about LaShawn Thompson, an inmate who died in September 2022 after he was allegedly eaten alive by bugs in his cell, FOX 5 Atlanta reported.

An autopsy said Thompson died of complications due to severe neglect and major contributing causes as untreated schizophrenia, dehydration, malnourishment and severe body insect infestation. His death was ruled a homicide.

“These autopsy findings confirm that Lashawn was killed by the extreme neglect of the Fulton County Jail and its staff,” Ben Crump, a civil rights attorney representing Thompson’s family in a lawsuit against the jail, said in a May 22 statement. “He was dehydrated, malnourished, and his body was infested inside and out with insects — it is truly one of the most horrific cases we have seen.”

The state of the jail could complicate negotiations between the Fulton County Sheriff’s Department and the Secret Service over how Trump will be booked.

According to the department’s website, individuals who have been arrested are first taken to the Main Jail at 901 Rice Street NW, Atlanta, for booking. Fulton County Sheriff Pat Labat said earlier this month he expects Trump to be booked like any other criminal suspect, including fingerprinting and photographing.

Trump has an August 25 deadline to turn himself in to Fulton County authorities.

Former Trump chief of staff Mark Meadows mugshot released

A mugshot of former White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows was released on Thursday after he turned himself in at a jail in Atlanta, Georgia, connected to alleged efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election.

Meadows, a former congressman who served as chief of staff to former President Trump, was indicted along with Trump and more than a dozen others out of the Fulton County probe launched by the district attorney.

The charges include violating the Georgia RICO Act—the Racketeer Influenced And Corrupt Organizations Act. The court set Trump’s bail at $200,000, and he is expected to be quickly processed and released. Fox News Digital has learned his formal arraignment, where he is expected to plead not guilty, will take place sometime early next month.

Others charged out of Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis’ probe, like former Trump lawyers Rudy Giuliani, Sidney Powell, Jenna Ellis and more had their photos taken during processing.

It marks the latest in a number of prosecutions against Trump, but this is the first that will require him also to pose for a mug shot — an image that is likely to be seen as iconic. Trump has denied wrongdoing in this case and others.

Trump ally Harrison Floyd remains in Georgia jail after not negotiating bond terms before surrender

 

Harrison Floyd, the former executive director of Black Voices for Trump, is currently sitting in the Fulton County Jail in Atlanta, Georgia after turning himself in on charges in connection to District Attorney Fani Willis’ investigation into alleged efforts to overturn the 2020 election.

Floyd is the only defendant who did not negotiate bond terms before surrendering. All other 18 defendants, including former President Donald Trump, have now reached bond terms. 11 have surrendered — including Floyd — the other 10 have been released.

Floyd was allegedly involved in efforts to pressure poll workers into promoting fraud allegations, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

Trump is expected to turn himself in later this evening.

Who is Mark Meadows?

 

Former White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows has been charged alongside former President Donald Trump and more than a dozen others in connection to Fulton County, Georgia, District Attorney Fani Willis’ investigation into alleged efforts to overturn the 2020 election.

Meadows turned himself into county authorities on Thursday after a federal judge denied his request a day earlier to prevent his “imminent arrest.” Meadows had sought to stall his arrest pending the outcome of an evidentiary hearing over the possibility of his racketeering charges be moved from state to federal court, FOX 5 Atlanta reported.

Prior to serving as Trump’s chief of staff from March 2020 to January 2021, Meadows served four full terms and part of a fifth as a member of the U.S. House of Representatives from North Carolina.

He headed the conservative House Freedom Caucus from 2017 to 2019.

Trump opposes an October trial date in Georgia case

Former President Donald Trump will soon ask to sever his case from one of the defendants facing charges in the Fulton County, Georgia criminal case.

Trump’s attorney in the Georgia case, Steven Sadow, told the court Thursday afternoon that the former president opposes the prosecutor’s request to hold the trial for all defendants in October.

In response to a motion for a speedy trial from Trump’s co-defendant Kenneth Chesebro, Fulton County DA Fani Willis requested that a trial “commence for all 19 defendants on October 23, 2023.”

Fulton County DA asks court to set trial date for Trump and 18 co-defendants in October
Fulton County DA Fani Willis has requested an October 23, 2023, start date for the trial of former President Donald Trump and 18 co-defendants in the Georgia 2020 election case.

Sadow wrote that Trump “opposes the State’s ‘motion for entry of pretrial scheduling order’ and ‘motion to specially set trial'” and that he “will be filing a timely motion to sever his case from that of co-defendant Chesebro, who has filed a demand for speedy trial, or any other co-defendant who files such a demand.”

Trump retained Sadow, an Atlanta-based white collar defense attorney, to represent him in the Fulton County case. Sadow replaced Drew Findling, who had been representing him in the matter. Findling is no longer representing Trump, a source familiar told Fox News Digital.

How many total charges does Trump have pending?

Former president Donald Trump has been indicted four times in 2023. He is the first former president in U.S. history to be indicted on criminal charges.

In March, Trump was charged from Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s investigation into hush-money payments during the 2016 presidential campaign. During this particular investigation, Trump pleaded not guilty to all 34 felony counts.

In June, Trump was indicted on charges at a federal level for the first time. Special Counsel Jack Smith indicted Trump from a classified records investigation at his Mar-a-Lago home. Trump was accused of 37 felony charges, all of which Trump pleaded not guilty to.

In July, Trump was charged with three additional counts involving Smith’s investigation. Waltine Nauta, Trump’s aide and valet, and Carlos de Oliveria, his Mar-a Lago property manager, were also charged.

Smith was further investigating Trump’s alleged involvement in the Jan 6. Capitol riot and interference with the 2020 election results. In August, Trump was indicted on four federal charges related to Jan. 6, which he pleaded not guilty to.

Trump was indicted on 13 charges in Georgia, along with 18 others, with allegedly attempting to overturn the 2020 election results in the state.

Trump has a total of 91 pending charges against him.

Mark Meadows surrenders in Georgia on RICO charges

Mark Meadows, the former White House chief of staff, was booked for charges in Atlanta Thursday, hours before former President Trump is expected to surrender at the same courthouse.

Meadows was charged with two counts in a 41-count indictment brought Trump and his allies by Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis, a Democrat.

According to court records, Meadows bond was set at $100,000.

Meadows faces charges for soliciting an official to violate their oath of office related to the infamous 2020 phone call he arranged between Trump and Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger — in which Trump asked the elections chief to “find” purportedly missing ballots that would allow him to overcome his deficit against Biden in Georgia.

Georgia’s secretary of state also reportedly is set to subpoena to testify during a hearing to determine if former White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows’ election interference case will be transferred to federal court next week.

Trump is expected to surrender to the Atlanta courthouse Thursday evening.

 

Mark Meadows seeks transfer of Fulton County case to federal court, claims immunity from prosecution
Former Trump White House chief of staff Mark Meadows has asked his charges in the Georgia election interference case to be removed to federal court, claiming immunity from prosecution.

Where can I read the Trump-Georgia indictment?

The full Trump-Georgia indictment document can be viewed and downloaded on Fox News Digital.

The lengthy 98 page document includes all 41 counts former president Donald Trump was accused of, as well as the 18 others that have been accused alongside him. The document highlights who individual charges and counts. Those accused with Trump include former Trump White House chief of staff Mark Meadows and attorneys Rudy Giuliani, Sidney Powell and Jenna Ellis.

The indictment states that the defendants and unindicted co conspirators “constituted a criminal organization whose members and associates engaged in various related criminal activities including, but not limited to, false statements and writings, impersonating a public officer, forgery, filing false documents, influencing witnesses, computer theft, computer trespass, computer invasion of privacy, conspiracy to defraud the state, acts involving theft, and perjury.”

In the document, each count against Trump is broken down into sections with information and evidence laid out by the Fulton Superior Court.

How hard is it to get a pardon in Georgia?

Former president Donald Trump has been indicted for the fourth time. His most recent indictment involves alleged attempts to overturn 2020 presidential results in Georgia. If he is convicted, receiving a pardon will be a difficult task, even if he is elected president.

A president’s ability to pardon only applies to federal crime, and does not apply at a state level. Therefore, even if Trump is elected president, he will not have the power to pardon himself.

The power to pardon in Georgia does not fall to the governor, but rather a five-member board. The State Board of Pardons and Paroles is made up of five members who serve seven year terms. Felons who are seeking pardon by the board must serve their sentence for five years before doing so.

Who is DA Fani Willis, the prosecutor going after Donald Trump in Georgia?

Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis has brought an unprecedented racketeering case against Donald Trump and 18 others in Georgia.

But who is the local prosecutor trying to take down a former president?

Willis started her career as an assistant district attorney in Fulton County and has gained a reputation as a hard-working and talented litigator. She challenged her former boss in the 2020 Democratic primary for district attorney — and won.

She grew up in Washington and was raised by her father, a defense attorney who she said was a Black Panther, the Associated Press reported.

She studied at Howard University and holds a law degree from Emory University School of Law.

Trump’s campaign has attacked Willis over her father’s Black Panther ties.

In an email to supporters earlier this month, the campaign wrote that Willis comes from a “family steeped in hate” and is the “daughter of a former Black Panther,” before referencing quotes from a 2021 Time Magazine article.

“The daughter of a former Black Panther who recently retired as a criminal defense lawyer, the Inglewood, Calif.-born Willis would go along when her father went to court on Saturday mornings,” the quoted Time article reads.

“The judge who oversaw the Saturday courtroom, an older white man, was, according to Willis, known to be mean. But each week, he had Willis, too young to stay home alone or to hear the details her father needed to discuss with clients, sit next to him on the elevated dais, the two whispering back and forth,” the article continued. “One day, Willis’ father asked her what on earth they talked about.”

The email continued with a quote from the Fulton County Government website where Willis also referenced her father, John Clifford Floyd III, being a former Black Panther member.

Fulton County DA requests trial begin October 23

 

Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis requested a trial to begin in the case against former President Trump and 18 others on Oct. 23.

In a filing Thursday, Willis “respectfully” requested that a trial “commence for all 19 defendants on October 23, 2023.”

Trump and more than a dozen others were charged out of the Fulton County probe, including his former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows, his former attorneys Rudy Giuliani, Sidney Powell, Jenna Ellis, Kenneth Chesebro, Jeff Clark, John Eastman, among others.

The charges include violating the Georgia RICO Act—the Racketeer Influenced And Corrupt Organizations Act; Solicitation of Violation of Oath by a Public Officer; Conspiracy to Commit Impersonating a Public Officer; Conspiracy to Commit Forgery in the First Degree; Conspiracy to Commit False Statements and Writings; Conspiracy to Commit Filing False Documents; Conspiracy to Commit Forgery in the First Degree; Filing False Documents; and Solicitation of Violation of Oath by a Public Officer. Not everyone faces the same charges.

The former president, specifically, was charged with 13 counts: One count of violation of the Georgia RICO Act, three counts of criminal solicitation, six counts of criminal conspiracy, one count of filing false documents and two counts of making false statements.

When will Donald Trump go on trial in Georgia?

Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis has proposed a commencement trial date of March 4, 2024, in the Georgia election case of former President Donald Trump and 18 other defendants.

Willis has also proposed that arraignments for the defendants happen the week of Sept. 5. The dates are only a proposal for now and do not become official until signed by a judge.

The proposed trial date is one day before elections on Super Tuesday, when the largest number of delegates are up for grabs of any single day in the primary cycle. For presidential candidates, it’s a day that can make or break a campaign. Roughly 14 primaries are set to be held across the country, from California and Texas to Massachusetts and Maine.

Trump’s legal team is likely to seek to delay the the trial until after the 2024 presidential election.

Trump is already scheduled to stand trial in March in the separate New York case involving dozens of state charges of falsifying business records in connection with an alleged hush money payment to a porn actor. He’s also scheduled to stand trial in May in the federal case brought by special counsel Jack Smith alleging he illegally hoarded classified documents at his Mar-a-Lago estate and thwarted government efforts to return them.

What is Donald Trump accused of in Georgia?

Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis has accused former President Donald Trump and his co-defendants of “knowingly and willfully” forming a “conspiracy to unlawfully change the outcome of the election in favor of Trump.”

The 97-page indictment released earlier this month contains 41 felony counts against Trump and the 18 defendants and alleges they “unlawfully conspired and endeavored to conduct and participate in a criminal enterprise in Fulton County, Georgia, and elsewhere.”

The key allegation is that Trump and the other defendants “corruptly solicited Georgia officials, including the Secretary of State and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, to violate their oaths to the Georgia Constitution and to the United States Constitution by unlawfully changing the outcome of the November 3, 2020, presidential election in Georgia in favor of Donald Trump.”

Following the 2020 presidential election, Trump reportedly insisted during a phone call with Georgia’s Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger that he had won the state of Georgia. Trump urged him to “find” enough votes to reverse the state’s results.

Trump also reportedly said: “All I want to do is this. I just want to find 11,780 votes, which is one more than we have. Because we won the state.”

Georgia certified election results showing that Trump’s Democratic opponent Joe Biden won the state’s Nov. 3 election by 11,779 votes.

Trump’s phone call is the central piece of evidence in Willis’ case against Trump. The former president has repeatedly denied all wrongdoing and called it a “perfect phone call.”

Who is Steven Sadow? Meet the attorney Trump hired hours before he’s booked in Fulton County

 

Former President Donald Trump abruptly replaced his attorney David Findling on Thursday hours before he is expected to turn himself in to Fulton County authorities in his Georgia 2020 election case.

Trump’s new attorney, Steven Sadow, is an Atlanta-based criminal defense lawyer who is described as a “special counsel for white collar and high profile defense” on his website.

Sadow’s previous high profile clients include rapper William Roberts, Jr., a/k/a Rick Ross, attorney Howard K. Stern, in a trial relating to the death of his partner Anna Nicole Smith, as well as “Mansion Madame” Lisa Ann Taylor and the singer Usher.

He studied at Marietta College and received his law degree from Emory University in 1979.

This wasn’t the first time Trump has decided to make changes to one of his legal defense teams. In June, Trump fired his attorneys Jim Trusty and John Rowley and replaced them with Todd Blanche in the federal case brought by special counsel Jack Smith concerning Trump’s retention of classified documents.

What time is Trump surrendering?

 

Former President Donald Trump is expected to surrender to Fulton County authorities in the evening Thursday.

The Federal Aviation Administration has placed temporary flight restrictions over the area where the Fulton County Jail is located in Georgia from 6:45 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. ET. The reason given for the restrictions is “VIP Movement.”

While no time has been confirmed for Trump’s arrival at the jail, the former president said Monday he will fly to Georgia and turn himself in to face 13 counts stemming from District Attorney Fani Willis’ probe into alleged efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election in the state.

It is expected that Trump will be required to take a mugshot. Others charged out of Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis’ probe, like former Trump lawyers Rudy Giuliani, Sidney Powell, Jenna Ellis and more had their photos taken during processing.

Trump was charged with one count of violation of the Georgia RICO Act, three counts of criminal solicitation, six counts of criminal conspiracy, one count of filing false documents and two counts of making false statements.

Trump retained Steven Sadow, an Atlanta-based white collar defense attorney, to represent him in the Fulton County case. Sadow will replace Drew Findling, who had been representing him in the matter. Findling is no longer representing Trump, a source familiar told Fox News Digital.

Trump retains new legal counsel in Fulton County case

Former President Trump retained Steven Sadow, an Atlanta-based white collar defense attorney, to represent him in the Fulton County case.

Sadow will replace Drew Findling, who had been representing him in the matter. Findling is no longer representing Trump, a source familiar told Fox News Digital.

“I have been retained to represent President Trump in the Fulton County, Georgia case,” Sadow said in a statement. “The President should never have been indicted. He is innocent of all the charges brought against him.”

Sadow added: “We look forward to the case being dismissed or, if necessary, an unbiased, open minded jury finding the President not guilty. Prosecutions intended to advance or serve the ambitions and careers of political opponents of the President have no place in our justice system.”

Trump was charged with one count of violation of the Georgia RICO Act, three counts of criminal solicitation, six counts of criminal conspiracy, one count of filing false documents and two counts of making false statements.

The indictment out of Georgia was the fourth for Trump, who is the first former president in United States history to face criminal charges.

Trump could not pardon himself as president if convicted in Georgia case

Former President Donald Trump could not exonerate himself from a possible conviction in Georgia under the Constitution if he wins wins the presidency in 2024, as presidents are not granted the authority to pardon themselves from crimes against individual states.

Trump was indicted for the fourth time Monday night, this time in Georgia along with 18 others allegedly involved in illegal efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election in the state. The former president is facing 13 counts in the latest indictment.

According to Georgia state law, Trump would have to wait at least five years after being released from court-ordered supervision before he can apply for a pardon.

In the event of a conviction in Georgia, Trump could be issued a pardon from the Georgia State Board of Pardons and Paroles. But this can only be done after fulfilling his sentence, any probation or parole time and five years time.

Georgia Republican Gov. Brian Kemp does not have the authority to pardon Trump if he were convicted in the Peach State.

House Judiciary Republicans accuse Fulton County DA of ‘politically motivated’ Trump indictment

 

Republicans on the House Judiciary Committee have accused Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis of filing “politically motivated” charges against former President Donald Trump.

In a letter sent to Willis Thursday, Chairman Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, raised concerns about the timing of Willis’ actions and demanded that her office turn over any documents and communications with the Biden administration.

“Your indictment and prosecution implicate substantial federal interests, and the circumstances surrounding your actions raise serious concerns about whether they are politically motivated,” Jordan wrote.

“[I]t is noteworthy that just four days before this indictment, you launched a new campaign fundraising website that highlighted your investigation into President Trump,” the letter continued. “Additionally, the forewoman of the special grand jury you convened to investigate President Trump earlier this year bragged during an unusual media tour about her excitement at the prospect of subpoenaing President Trump.”

“The timing of this prosecution reinforces concerns about your motivation,” the letter states. “In February 2021, news outlets reported that you directed your office to open an investigation into President Trump … Yet, you did not bring charges until two-and-a-half years later, at a time when the campaign for the Republican nomination is in full swing.”

What is an indictment?

 

An indictment is a formal accusation or charge of a serious crime by a government that forms the basis of a legal case against an entity.

Former President Trump and 18 other individuals were indicted by a Georgia grand jury earlier this month.

A grand jury in Fulton County, Georgia handed up the indictment against the former president and several other individuals, including former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows.Monday’s indictment means that Trump and the others named in the document are formally accused of violating several statutes, including violating the Georgia Racketeer Influenced And Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act.

In addition to accusation of violating the Georgia RICO Act, the other charges include Solicitation of Violation of Oath by a Public Officer; Conspiracy to Commit Impersonating a Public Officer; Conspiracy to Commit Forgery in the First Degree; and Conspiracy to Commit False Statements and Writings, among others.

 

How has Trump responded to his Georgia indictment?

Former President Trump told Fox News Digital his fourth indictment comes during a “dark period for our country” but vowed to win the 2024 presidential election and “Make America Great Again.”

Trump was indicted for the fourth time on Aug. 15 out of the Georgia probe into alleged efforts to overturn 2020 election.

“Nineteen people were indicted, and the whole world is laughing at the United States as they see how corrupt and horrible a place it has turned out to be under the leadership of Crooked Joe Biden,” Trump told Fox News Digital during an exclusive interview after the indictment came down.

Trump and more than a dozen others were charged, including his former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows, his former attorneys Rudy Giuliani, Sidney Powell, Jenna Ellis, Kenneth Chesebro, Jeff Clark, John Eastman, among others.

“The racist and corrupt district attorney of Fulton County, which has turned out to be a murder capital of the world with among the highest violent crime levels anywhere in our country, just opened a fundraising site in order to benefit off the things she most campaigned on, ‘I will get Donald Trump,’” he said, slamming Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis.

Trump has denied all wrongdoing.

 

What are the criminal charges against former President Donald Trump?

 

Former President Donald Trump is the first U.S. president in history to be indicted on criminal charges.

In a span of just four-and-a-half-months, Trump has been charged in four criminal cases at the federal and state level concerning allegations of his conduct both before entering and after leaving the White House.

In New York, Trump faces 34 felony counts brought by District Attorney Alvin Bragg in connection to alleged hush money payments made to porn star Stormy Daniels.

In Florida, he is charged with 40 counts related to his handling of classified documents after leaving office and his delay in returning them.

In Washington, D.C., special counsel Jack Smith has charged Trump with four counts for his efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election.

And in Georgia, Trump faces 13 felony counts in a racketeering case brought by District Attorney Fani Willis for his alleged election meddling in the state.

Trump to be booked at Fulton County jail after charges stemming from 2020 election probe

 

 

Former President Trump will turn himself in Thursday night at the Fulton County jail in Atlanta, Georgia after he was charged with 13 counts stemming from the state probe into his alleged efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election in the state.

The court set Trump’s bail at $200,000, and he is expected to be quickly processed and released. Fox News Digital has learned his formal arraignment, where he is expected to plead not guilty, will take place sometime early next month.

It is expected that Trump will be required to take a mugshot. Others charged out of Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis’ probe, like former Trump lawyers Rudy Giuliani, Sidney Powell, Jenna Ellis and more had their photos taken during processing.

“NOBODY HAS EVER FOUGHT FOR ELECTION INTEGRITY LIKE PRESIDENT DONALD J. TRUMP,” Trump posted on Truth Social. “FOR DOING SO, I WILL PROUDLY BE ARRESTED…IN GEORGIA GOD BLESS THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA!!!

Georgia secretary of state expects subpoena as Mark Meadows seeks to move Trump election case to fed

Georgia’s secretary of state reportedly is to be subpoenaed to testify during a hearing to determine if former White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows’ election interference case will be transferred to federal court next week.

Meadows, meanwhile, had an emergency motion seeking to prevent his “imminent arrest” in Fulton County denied Wednesday, a day before former President Donald Trump was set to turn himself in. Meadows had sought to stall his arrest pending the outcome of an evidentiary hearing over the possibility of his RICO charges be moved from state to federal court, FOX 5 Atlanta reported.

A judge, however, ruled the state should continue for now unless the feds notify the court that they’re taking over jurisdiction. Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis set a deadline for noon Thursday for Meadows, Trump and allies to turn themselves in.

“While Meadows’s imminent arrest may present an actual injury, there are strong countervailing reasons to not enjoin the state criminal proceedings,” the judge’s decision Wednesday said. “Thus, the Court determines that, the clear statutory language for removing a criminal prosecution, does not support an injunction or temporary stay prohibiting District Attorney Willis’s enforcement or execution of the arrest warrant against Meadows.”

Giuliani mugshot released after he turns himself in on Trump-Georgia 2020 case

 

A mugshot of Rudy Giuliani was released Wednesday after the former New York City mayor turned himself in at an Atlanta jail on charges connected to alleged efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election in Georgia.

Giuliani, 79, was indicted last week along with former President Donald Trump and 17 others. Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis said they participated in a wide-ranging conspiracy to subvert the will of the voters after the Republican president lost to Democrat Joe Biden in November 2020.

Giuliani is accused of spearheading Trump’s efforts to compel state lawmakers in Georgia and other closely contested states to illegally appoint electoral college electors favorable to Trump.

Bond for Giuliani, who was released after booking like the other defendants, was set at $150,000, second only to Trump’s $200,000.

Other high-profile defendants also surrendered Wednesday, including Jenna Ellis, an attorney who prosecutors say was involved in efforts to convince state lawmakers to unlawfully appoint presidential electors, and lawyer Sidney Powell, who is accused of making false statements about the election in Georgia and helping to organize a breach of voting equipment in rural Coffee County.

Who has surrendered to the Fulton County Jail?

At least 19 of the people facing charges in Fulton County, Georgia, have turned themselves into authorities to be booked.

Each of those who surrendered have been released on bond. None of former President Donald Trump’s co-defendants have yet entered pleas or been arraigned since the booking process is separate in Georgia.

Here is a list of those who have surrendered, the number of charges they face and their bond amount:

Scott Hall, an Atlanta-based bail bondsman, faces seven counts. He agreed to a $10,000 bond.

John Eastman, a former attorney for Trump, faces nine counts. His bond was set at $100,000.

Cathy Latham, a former school teacher, is charged with 11 counts and has a $75,000 bond.

David Shafer, the former Georgia GOP chairman, is charged with eight counts. He has a $75,000 bond.

Kenneth Chesebro, a former Trump campaign attorney, faces seven counts and his bond was set for $100,000.

Ray Smith III, a lawyer who represented Trump in his 2020 election challenges in Georgia, is charged with 12 counts. He agreed to a $50,000.

Sidney Powell, a former federal prosecutor who pushed false election claims, faces seven charges. Her bond was set at $100,000.

Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, who was Trump’s personal attorney, is charged with 13 counts and has a $150,000 bond.

Jenna Ellis, a former senior legal adviser to the Trump 2020 campaign, is charged with two counts and has agreed to a $100,000 bond.

First two Trump co-defendants were booked in Fulton County Jail on Tuesday

 

The first two of former President Donald Trump’s co-defendants in the Georgia election meddling case turned themselves in to authorities Tuesday morning.

Scott Hall, an Atlanta-based bail bondsman, and John Eastman, a former Trump attorney, were each booked at the Fulton County Jail, records show. Hall has been assigned a $10,000 bond for seven charges. Eastman accepted a $100,000 bond.

The two men were indicted last week alongside Trump and 16 others, who are accused by Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis of scheming to subvert the will of Georgia voters in a desperate bid to keep Joe Biden out of the White House. It was the fourth criminal case brought against the Republican former president.

Eastman, a former dean of Chapman University law school in Southern California, faces charges related to his advice to Trump on how the former president could overturn the 2020 election.

Hall is accused of conspiring to unlawfully access voter data and ballot counting machines at the Coffee County Election office on Jan. 7, 2021. His seven charges include one count of violation of the Georgia RICO Act, two counts of conspiracy to commit election fraud, one count of conspiracy to defraud Georgia, and three felony counts related to his alleged actions in Coffee County.

Eastman said in a statement provided by his lawyers that he was surrendering Tuesday “to an indictment that should never have been brought.” He lambasted the indictment for targeting “attorneys for their zealous advocacy on behalf of their clients” and said each of the 19 defendants was entitled to rely on the advice of lawyers and past legal precedent to challenge the election results.

Federal judge delivers blow to Trump co-defendants in Georgia election case

A federal district court judge turned down requests from two co-defendants in the Georgia racketeering case involving former President Trump to transfer jurisdiction of their cases to federal court.

Judge Steve Jones of the Northern District of Georgia issued two simultaneous orders Wednesday, denying the requests from former Trump White House chief of staff Mark Meadows and former Department of Justice civil division chief Jeff Clark. Meadows and Clark requested in their motions that their cases are transferred and for the court to allow them to avoid arrest in the case.

“Nothing Mr. Meadows is alleged in the indictment to have done is criminal per se: arranging Oval Office meetings, contacting state officials on the President’s behalf, visiting a state government building, and setting up a phone call for the President,” counsel for Meadows wrote in a court motion filed Aug. 15. “One would expect a Chief of Staff to the President of the United States to do these sorts of things.”

“Mr. Clark asks the Court either to grant a stay (or a temporary restraining order) against Fulton County … or to grant an administrative stay as we describe below,” counsel for Clark added in a motion on Aug. 21. “If the Court grants a stay … Mr. Clark would not need to be put the choice of making rushed travel arrangements to fly into Atlanta or instead risking being labeled a fugitive.”

Both Meadows and Clark argued in their motions that, because they were federal officials at the time of the alleged crimes, their cases should be handled by the federal court system.

However, Jones denied the requests, stating in the Meadows order that “the clear statutory language for removing a criminal prosecution, does not support an injunction or temporary stay prohibiting [Georgia’s] enforcement or execution of the arrest warrant against Meadows.”

 

Former President Donald Trump to surrender to Fulton County authorities after Georgia indictment

Former President Donald Trump on Thursday will turn himself in to authorities in Georgia to face charges for his efforts to overturn the 2020 election in the state.

Trump was charged by Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis with one count of violation of the Georgia RICO Act, three counts of criminal solicitation, six counts of criminal conspiracy, one count of filing false documents and two counts of making false statements.

Judge Scott McAfee of the Fulton County Superior Court set bond for the former president, and current 2024 GOP presidential frontrunner, at $200,000.

Trump and more than a dozen others were charged out of the Fulton County probe, including his former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows, his former attorneys Rudy Giuliani, Sidney Powell, Jenna Ellis, Kenneth Chesebro, Jeff Clark, John Eastman, among others.

The charges include violating the Georgia RICO Act—the Racketeer Influenced And Corrupt Organizations Act; Solicitation of Violation of Oath by a Public Officer; Conspiracy to Commit Impersonating a Public Officer; Conspiracy to Commit Forgery in the First Degree; Conspiracy to Commit False Statements and Writings; Conspiracy to Commit Filing False Documents; Conspiracy to Commit Forgery in the First Degree; Filing False Documents; and Solicitation of Violation of Oath by a Public Officer. Not everyone faces the same charges.

Trump’s indictment out of Fulton County is his fourth.

He is the first former president in United States history to face criminal charges.

source


Trump says taking a mugshot was ‘not a comfortable feeling, especially when you’ve done nothing wrong’

Trump told Fox News Digital in an exclusive interview that officials ‘insisted’ he take a mugshot

EXCLUSIVE: Former President Trump said Georgia officials “insisted” he have a mugshot taken Thursday night during processing at the Fulton County Jail, telling Fox News Digital in an exclusive interview that doing so was “not a comfortable feeling—especially when you’ve done nothing wrong.”

The former president and current 2024 Republican front-runner turned himself in Thursday night at the Fulton County Jail in Atlanta, Ga. after being charged out of District Attorney Fani Willis’ investigation into his alleged efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election in the state.

Trump, in an exclusive interview with Fox News Digital Thursday night, said officials in Georgia “insisted” on a mugshot.

“They insisted on a mugshot and I agreed to do that,” he said. “This is the only time I’ve ever taken a mugshot.”

He added: “It is not a comfortable feeling—especially when you’ve done nothing wrong.”

Donald Trump mugshot

Donald Trump mugshot (Fulton County Sheriff’s Office)

“This is all about election interference,” Trump said. “It all comes through Washington and the DOJ and Crooked Joe Biden—nothing like this has ever happened in our country before.”

Trump said the United States is “doing horribly, but now, it is doing worse because we have become a Third World country.”

The court had set Trump’s bail at $200,000. He was quickly processed and released Thursday evening.

The jail records stated that Trump stands at 6 feet, 3 inches and 215 pounds. The records state he has “Blond or Strawberry” hair and blue eyes.

Trump was charged with one count of violation of the Georgia RICO Act, three counts of criminal solicitation, six counts of criminal conspiracy, one count of filing false documents and two counts of making false statements.

Trump and more than a dozen others were charged out of the Fulton County probe, including his former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows, his former attorneys Rudy Giuliani, Sidney Powell, Jenna Ellis, Kenneth Chesebro, Jeff Clark, John Eastman, among others.

“It is election interference,” he said. “We did nothing wrong at all. And we have every right every single right to challenge an election that we think is dishonest that we think is very dishonest.”

Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis talks about Trump indictment

Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis speaks in the Fulton County Government Center during a news conference, Monday, Aug. 14, 2023, in Atlanta. Donald Trump and several allies have been indicted in Georgia over efforts to overturn his 2020 election loss in the state. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)

Willis, on Thursday, asked the Fulton County court to set a trial date for Trump and all 18 co-defendants in the case for October 23. The move was in response to a motion for a speedy trial from defendant Kenneth Chesebro.

The judge approved the October 23 trial date, but only for Chesebro, as he was the only defendant to request a speedy trial.

Meanwhile, Trump retained Steven Sadow, an Atlanta-based white collar defense attorney, to represent him in the Fulton County case. Sadow will replace Drew Findling, who had been representing him in the matter. Findling is no longer representing Trump, a source familiar told Fox News Digital.

“I have been retained to represent President Trump in the Fulton County, Georgia case,” Sadow said in a statement. “The President should never have been indicted. He is innocent of all the charges brought against him.”

Sadow added: “We look forward to the case being dismissed or, if necessary, an unbiased, open minded jury finding the President not guilty. Prosecutions intended to advance or serve the ambitions and careers of political opponents of the President have no place in our justice system.”

The indictment out of Georgia was the fourth for Trump, who is the first former president in United States history to face criminal charges.

Trump was first charged in March out of Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s years-long investigation related to hush-money payments made during the 2016 presidential campaign.

Bragg alleged that Trump “repeatedly and fraudulently falsified New York business records to conceal criminal conduct that hid damaging information from the voting public during the 2016 presidential election.”

Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg

Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg was the first prosecutor to bring charges against Trump.  (Lev Radin/Pacific Press/LightRocket via Getty Images)

Those charges from Bragg came amid Special Counsel Jack Smith’s investigation into Trump’s alleged improper retention of classified records from his presidency at his Mar-a-Lago home in Palm Beach, Fla.

Trump pleaded not guilty to all 37 felony charges out of that probe. The charges include willful retention of national defense information, conspiracy to obstruct justice and false statements.

Last month, on July 27, Trump was charged with an additional three counts as part of a superseding indictment out of Smith’s investigation — an additional count of willful retention of national defense information and two additional obstruction counts.

Smith was also investigating whether Trump was involved in the Capitol riot on Jan. 6, 2021, and any alleged interference in the 2020 election result.

On Aug. 1, Trump was indicted on four federal charges out of Smith’s Jan. 6 probe.

error: Content is protected !!