Former President Donald Trump is seeking to move a criminal case accusing him of trying to overturn the 2020 presidential election results in Georgia from county court to federal court. In a legal filing, Trump signaled his intention to transfer the case, following in the footsteps of several co-defendants who have already done the same. Moving to federal court could provide Trump with certain advantages, including additional arguments to have the case dropped and a broader pool of potential jurors.
Trump’s lawyer, Steven Sadow, stated in the filing, President Trump hereby notifies the court that he may seek removal of his prosecution to federal court… To be timely, his notice of removal must be filed within 30 days of his arraignment. Despite facing legal troubles on multiple fronts, Trump remains the frontrunner for the 2024 Republican nomination.
The case in Georgia involves Trump and 18 others who were indicted last month on charges of racketeering and conspiracy. They are accused of pressuring Georgia officials to reverse the election results, although all defendants have denied any wrongdoing. Alongside Trump, former White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows has also requested a change of venue to federal court. Meadows is likely to argue that he is immune from prosecution as a federal worker at the time of the alleged crime. A judge is expected to rule on these petitions in the coming weeks, including whether Trump can claim immunity by acting in his capacity as president.
Prosecutors are keen to expedite the trial as much as possible. Judge Scott McAfee has requested an exact timeframe from the prosecution, with Special Prosecutor Nathan Wade stating that a trial involving the 19 co-defendants is estimated to last four months, not including jury selection. Wade also noted that there are over 150 witnesses that the state intends to call. However, McAfee suggested that the trial may take twice as long.
Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis, using the state’s anti-racketeering law, obtained a 41-count indictment last month, expressing her desire to try all 19 defendants together. However, various legal challenges and delays have ensued, casting doubt on the targeted trial start date of October 23. Attorneys for pro-Trump lawyers Kenneth Chesebro and Sidney Powell have recently argued for their cases to be tried separately and rapidly.
Sources:
– Daily Mail: Trump seeks federal court move for Georgia election case amidst legal battles
– URL: [https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12493337/Trump-Georgia-election-case-federal-court.html?ito=msngallery]
