Georgia grand jury indicts former US President Trump, alleging 'conspiracy to unlawfully change outcome' of 2020 presidential election

Trump at last month's Turning Point Action Conference in West Palm Beach, Florida. Image: Gage Skidmore.Last Monday, a Fulton County, Georgia grand jury seated in Atlanta indicted nineteen people, including former United States President Donald Trump, on 41 counts overall, Trump himself facing thirteen. Referencing the Republican's election loss to President Joe Biden in 2020 in Georgia and nationally, it alleged they "refused to accept that Trump lost, and they knowingly and willfully joined a conspiracy to unlawfully change the outcome of the election in favor of Trump." The grand jury's indictment continued: "That conspiracy contained a common plan and purpose to commit two or more acts of racketeering activity in Fulton County, Georgia, elsewhere in the State of Georgia, and in other states." Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis told press later the accused had eleven days to surrender. Trump faced a charge of violating the Georgia Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO) along with his co-defendants; three counts of soliciting a public officer to violate...

Read More........ → August 21, 2023

Former US President Donald Trump pleads not guilty over alleged attempts to 'subvert' 2020 presidential election results

Last Thursday, former US President Donald Trump entered a not guilty plea in the US District Court for the District of Columbia (D.C.) to four felony charges over the alleged "[pursuit] of unlawful means of discounting legitimate votes and subverting" the outcome of the 2020 US presidential election, which saw now-President Joe Biden defeat him and Trump supporters attack the US Capitol on January 6, 2021. Magistrate Judge Moxila A. Upadhyaya said Judge Tanya Chutkan, who is assigned to preside over the case, planned to schedule a trial at an August 28 hearing; both prosecutors and Trump's attorneys were instructed to present a favored trial timeline by that date, but Upadhyaya described Chutkan as open to allowing Trump to not attend that hearing. Thomas Windom, the head prosecutor assigned to the trial, argued: "This case will benefit from normal order, including a speedy trial." Defense lawyer John Lauro said his side would need to analyze evidence the government must provide it through discovery and the idea a trial could soon begin was "somewhat absurd": "These are weighty issues....

Read More........ → August 14, 2023

Trump impeachment lawyers leave team: US media

Several of former US President Donald Trump’s impeachment lawyers have left his team a little over a week before his trial, US media reported Saturday.CNN cited unnamed sources as saying that five lawyers — including two who were thought to be leading the team — had parted ways with the Republican billionaire after disagreeing over his legal strategy.Trump had wanted the lawyers to continue his baseless claims of mass election fraud rather than focus on the legality of convicting a president after he has left office, CNN said, adding that he was “not receptive” to discussion.The lawyers included Butch Bowers and Deborah Barbier, expected to lead Trump’s defense, CNN and other outlets reported, saying it had been a “mutual decision.”“We have done much work, but have not made a final decision on our legal team, which will be made shortly,” tweeted Trump advisor Jason Miller in response to the reports.The development leaves Trump, who has reportedly been struggling to form a defense ahead of his historic second impeachment trial over the ransacking of the US Capitol this month, facing...

Read More........ → January 31, 2021