On Monday night, a Georgia grand jury issued an indictment charging former President Donald Trump and 18 other individuals with participating in a wide-ranging conspiracy to subvert the 2020 election. The indictment marks the culmination of a thorough investigation conducted by Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis, a Democrat.
Following the indictment, the Trump campaign dismissed the charges as "bogus." In a statement, they characterized the Fulton County, GA's Democrat DA Fani Willis as a partisan figure who is leveraging these baseless indictments for the purpose of prosecuting President Trump.
Additionally, they accused Willis of intentionally stalling her investigation to disrupt the 2024 presidential race and undermine the dominant Trump campaign, drawing parallels to tactics they attribute to President Joe Biden. Despite the Trump campaign's allegations, Fulton County officials reported no disturbances outside the courthouse at midnight.
Among those facing charges alongside the former president are former Trump chief of staff Mark Meadows, former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, and several attorneys including Jenna Ellis, John Eastman, Kenneth Chesebro, Ray Smith, Robert Cheeley, and Sidney Powell.
Also included are individuals such as would-be Trump electors Shawn Still, Cathy Latham, and David Shafer, pastor Stephen Lee, election official Misty Hampton, publicist Trevian Kutti, former DOJ official Jeffrey Clark, Trump campaign official Mike Roman, Scott Hall, and Black Voices for Trump leader Harrison Floyd.
The allegations against Trump and Meadows revolve around claims that they collaborated to instruct longtime aide John McEntee to disrupt and delay the January 6, 2021, joint session of Congress, which aimed to certify Joe Biden's victory as the President-elect.
All 19 defendants are being charged with racketeering under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO Act), a serious offense with significant legal consequences.
In addition to the racketeering charges, Trump is facing various conspiracy charges, multiple counts of soliciting a public official to violate their oath, and allegations of making false statements to state legislators and officials. Other charges relate to voting machines and the presence of so-called "false electors."
Following the grand jury's indictment, District Attorney Willis announced that arrest warrants had been issued for all 19 defendants. However, she also provided an opportunity for voluntary surrender by August 25. Furthermore, Willis intends to establish a trial schedule to begin proceedings in six months, with all 19 defendants being tried together.
Racketeering charge carries a mandatory prison sentence, indicating the seriousness of the alleged offenses. Reports indicating the involvement of 30 un-indicted co-conspirators have also surfaced, highlighting the potentially expansive nature of this case.
Notably, the charges against Trump align with a prior incident where an erroneous publication briefly listed criminal charges against him on the Fulton County website before being promptly removed. This 98-page indictment alleges an extensive scheme, utilizing racketeering laws commonly employed to dismantle organized crime syndicates and drug cartels.
The indictment outlines over 160 actions which prosecutors claim were part of the racketeering operation. These actions include Trump's controversial phone call to Georgia Secretary Of State Brad Raffensperger, requesting him to find enough votes to declare Trump the winner, an attempt to obtain a voting machine, and the submission of false information to the state Legislature.
Notably, even as recently as Monday, the district attorney's office continued to subpoena witnesses as part of their ongoing investigation. Reporter George Chidi received a subpoena to testify a second time before a Fulton County jury regarding his observations during a December 2020 meeting involving Georgia's "alternate" electors, at least 11 of whom are subjects of this probe. The heightened anticipation surrounding the indictment's announcement resulted in the installation of barricades around the Fulton courthouse. Furthermore, according to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, DA Willis, who is black, disclosed that she had received racist threats related to the case.