Left: FILE – Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis poses for a portrait, April 19, 2023, in Atlanta (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson, File). Right: Former President Donald Trump arrives at the Moms for Liberty meeting in Philadelphia, Friday, June 30, 2023. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)
Former President Donald Trump has been indicted in Fulton County, Georgia, for allegedly interfering with the 2020 presidential election results in the state.
The former president was named alongside 18 additional co-defendants in a 41-count criminal indictment that was reportedly handed up to Fulton County Judge Robert McBurney at around 9:00 p.m. Monday. The charges include alleged RICO (Racketeering Influenced and Corrupt Organizations) violations, forgery, false statements, conspiracy to influence an election, perjury, and influencing witnesses.
Trump’s co-defendants include former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani, former White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows, “coup memo” author John Eastman, and Trump attorneys Kenneth Cheseboro and “Kraken” lawyer Sidney Powell.
Earlier on Monday, a Fulton County court website reportedly posted — and then promptly removed — a list of criminal charges to be brought against Trump for his role in allegedly attempting to subvert the election results.
On Jan. 2, 2021, Trump called Georgia’s Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, a Republican, and demanded that he “find 11,780 votes” — enough to overturn President Joe Biden’s win in the Peach State — or potentially face criminal consequences. Raffensperger refused. Shortly after the call came to light, Trump released a statement referring to the conversation as “an absolutely PERFECT phone call.”
On Monday, Fulton County Superior Court Judge Robert McBurney signaled that cameras will be allowed in the courtroom for at least some of the proceedings.
“If a grand jury presents an indictment, that’s usually in the afternoon, and you can film and photograph that,” the judge said.
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The indictment marks the fourth criminal case to be filed against Trump since he left office. He was indicted on Aug. 1 in Washington, D.C., for obstruction and an alleged conspiracy to subvert the results of the 2020 election, leading to the violence at the Capitol on Jan. 6 as Congress was certifying President Joe Biden’s win.
He is currently facing state charges in New York over alleged hush-money payments to Stormy Daniels. He has also been indicted on federal charges in Florida for allegedly storing classified documents at his Mar-a-Lago resort and residence.
Willis, who has been investigating potential interference on the part of the former president since February 2021, has previously indicated that indictments may be handed down sometime in August, although CNN reported that she has also told local police that possible charges could be announced between July 11 and Sept. 1.
Over the course of approximately six months in 2022, a special grand jury heard evidence from prominent figures in Trump’s orbit, including former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani and South Carolina Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham. That special jury, which did not have the power to make an actual decision to indict the former president, recommended in a February report that Willis nevertheless issue “appropriate indictments” in the matter. It was not immediately clear who the special grand jury felt could be subject to indictment.
The grand jury that heard evidence from Willis and ultimately approved the indictment was selected earlier this month.
Read the indictment, below.
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