Previous RICO cases in Georgia's Fulton County have taken a while to go to trial
Fani Willis said she wants to take the Trump case to trial within the next six months, but other cases in the same jurisdiction that involved violations of the state's racketeering law have taken much longer to go to trial.
A test cheating scandal prosecuted under the law resulted in an indictment charging 35 educators in March 2013. Most took plea deals, but a dozen of them didn't go to trial until more than a year later, in September 2014. The trial lasted seven months, until April 2015, and 11 of the educators were convicted.
In May of last year, the Fulton County District Attorney's Office brought an indictment against two rappers — Young Thug and Gunna — and 26 other people and charged them with racketeering in connection with alleged gang activity. While Gunna negotiated a deal, called an "Alford plea," which allowed him to assert his innocence while pleading guilty because it was in his best interests because of the evidence against him, Young Thug pleaded not guilty. Jury selection began months ago — and it's still going. A jury hasn't been seated, and opening statements haven't been delivered.
Georgia secretary of state touts 'respect for the Constitution' but doesn't name Trump
Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger is out with a brief statement this morning, presumably in reaction to last night’s indictment.
“The most basic principles of a strong democracy are accountability and respect for the Constitution and rule of law,” he said. “You either have it, or you don’t.”
Trump’s phone call to Raffensperger, a Republican, on Jan. 2, 2021, to “find” the votes needed to overturn Joe Biden’s victory in the state is among the incidents cited in the new indictment.
Trump has said the phone call was “perfect.”
Trump lawyer Jenna Ellis swipes at Democrats and Willis
Jenna Ellis, who is among a group of Trump lawyers charged with violating Georgia’s RICO (Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organization) Act, accused Democrats and Willis of “criminalizing the practice of law” this morning after Trump’s fourth indictment.
“The Democrats and the Fulton County DA are criminalizing the practice of law,” she tweeted. “I am resolved to trust the Lord and I will simply continue to honor, praise, and serve Him. I deeply appreciate all of my friends who have reached out offering encouragement and support.”
Democratic presidential candidate Marianne Williamson: 'Turn the page and move on'
Democratic presidential candidate Marianne Williamson said in a statement that the fourth indictment against Trump “gives us ten new reasons to turn the page and move on.”
“The former President will have to deal with his troubles, but the country should not be further weighed down by them,” Williamson said. “He may or may not be found guilty of his crimes but his damage to our body politic is indisputable. It is time to disconnect from events of the past and create a future untainted by his political scandals.”
Trump says he's releasing a 'report' on election fraud next week
In a post to his Truth Social platform this morning, Trump said he will present a “report” on Georgia election fraud at a news conference in Bedminster, New Jersey, next week.
“A Large, Complex, Detailed but Irrefutable REPORT on the Presidential Election Fraud which took place in Georgia is almost complete & will be presented by me at a major News Conference at 11:00 A.M. on Monday of next week in Bedminster, New Jersey,” he wrote.
He then insisted, without citing evidence, that all charges will be dropped against him and his allies.
“Based on the results of this CONCLUSIVE Report, all charges should be dropped against me & others — There will be a complete EXONERATION! They never went after those that Rigged the Election. They only went after those that fought to find the RIGGERS!” he added.
GOP lawmaker pushes back against White House press secretary's saying DOJ is 'independent'
In an appearance on Fox Business this morning, Rep. Jeff Van Drew, R-N.J., was asked to respond to White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre's response yesterday when she was asked about the probe into Biden’s son Hunter and the independence of the Justice Department — a main focus of the GOP as Trump faces mounting legal woes.
At a news briefing, Fox News reporter Jacqui Heinrich asked Jean-Pierre: “How can the White House assure people that the case involving the president’s son is being handled fairly?”
Jean-Pierre replied: “The Department of Justice is independent. That is what the President believes. He believes that this White House will not politicize the Department of Justice. This was done under the leadership of a Trump-appointed U.S. attorney, as you all know. And so I’m just I’m not going to add anything else to that."
Asked to respond to Jean-Pierre’s remarks, Van Drew, a member of the Judiciary Committee who was a Democrat until 2020, said Jean-Pierre’s comments are “absurd” and claimed that the Justice Department has “protected” Biden’s family.
“I mean, the Department of Justice has been showing and protecting the Biden family on the Bidens for years. ... I mean, literally every level of government, whether it’s the leadership in the IRS, whether it’s the Department of Justice, the FBI, all of them have been working in tandem to protect this president and to hide the truth,” he said.
2024 GOP candidate Will Hurd says Trump’s 'baggage will hand Biden reelection'
GOP presidential candidate Will Hurd took aim at Trump’s refusal to concede the 2020 election in response to Trump’s fourth indictment.
“Another day, another indictment, and another example of how the former president’s baggage will hand Joe Biden reelection if Trump is the nominee,” he said in a statement. "This is further evidence that Trump knew he lost the 2020 election and was ready to do anything it took to cling to power. He will use the latest indictment as another opportunity to manipulate Americans into paying his legal bills.”
Hurd, a former representative from Texas, then called on the Republican Party to “move beyond dealing with the former president’s baggage.”
“The Republican Party needs a leader who isn’t afraid of bullies like Trump and who understands the complex issues facing our country — from complicated technologies that will affect our economy and global power structures that will determine our position in the world.”
Trump and 18 co-defendants charged with racketeering in Georgia 2020 election probe
Trump and top allies, including his former lawyer Rudy Giuliani, former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows and a top former Justice Department official, Jeffrey Clark, were indicted yesterday on felony charges in connection with efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election results in Georgia.
The sweeping 41-count indictment also names lawyers John Eastman, Sidney Powell, Kenneth Chesebro, Jenna Ellis and Ray Smith and several others. All were charged with violating Georgia’s RICO (Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organization) law.
In an indictment handed up to the judge around 9 p.m. ET and made public just before 11 p.m., Trump was charged with felony racketeering and numerous conspiracy charges, court filings show.
The racketeering charge carries a sentence of five to 20 years, while a conspiracy conviction can result in a minimum sentence of one year in prison with a variable maximum sentence.