Rudy Giuliani to surrender to authorities in Georgia election probe
Rudy Giuliani, Donald Trump’s personal lawyer who championed the former president’s bogus election fraud claims, said he will turn himself in to authorities in Georgia on Wednesday to face racketeering charges alleging he meddled in the state’s 2020 presidential election.
“I’m going to Fulton County to comply with the law, which I always do,” he told reporters before leaving for Georgia. “I don’t know if I plea today but if I do I plead not guilty.”
Giuliani and Trump both face 13 counts, more than the other 17 defendants in the case.
The former New York City mayor has maintained his innocence, and claimed the only thing he’s guilty of was zealously advocating for his client. “I never thought I’d ever get indicted for being a lawyer,” Giuliani said on his radio show last week.
The indictment in Fulton County alleges that Giuliani was a key part of a criminal conspiracy, pressing election officials in Arizona, Georgia and Pennsylvania to act on voting fraud claims that he was repeatedly told were false. Giuliani was also charged with promoting false claims that voting machines were rigged, and making false claims in sworn legal filings.
Read the full story here.
Kenneth Chesebro, who crafted so-called fake electors scheme, surrenders
Kenneth Chesebro, the lawyer associated with Donald Trump’s campaign who allegedly crafted the legal plan behind the so-called fake electors scheme, surrendered to Georgia authorities today after he was indicted on racketeering and other charges in the Georgia 2020 election investigation.
In addition to allegedly violating the Georgia Racketeering Influenced and Corrupt Organization Act, Chesebro faces six conspiracy-related counts, including forgery in the first degree and filing false documents. He was indicted along with Trump and 17 other defendants in Fani Willis’ probe last week on charges related to alleged attempts made by Trump and his allies to overturn the 2020 presidential election results in the state.
After Chesebro was indicted, his attorney Scott Grubman said Chesebro had been giving the Trump campaign legal advice and “stands ready to defend himself against these unfounded charges.”
While the Georgia probe is the first time Chesebro has been charged in connection with attempts to keep Trump in power, he appears to be one of the six unindicted co-conspirators in special counsel Jack Smith’s federal indictment of Trump on on allegations that he conspired to block the peaceful transfer of power to Joe Biden after losing the election.
Separately, NBC News reported last week that public source video appeared to show Chesebro walking around Capitol grounds and capturing mobile video on Jan. 6, 2021. But at no point in the video viewed by NBC News does the man believed to be Chesebro enter the Capitol.
Trump ‘electors’ David Shafer and Cathy Latham surrender
Trump “electors” David Shafer and Cathy Latham surrendered and were booked at Fulton County Jail early this morning and released, jail records show.
Shafer, Georgia’s former GOP chairman, was indicted on racketeering and other charges in the Fulton County election subversion case. His surrender comes a day after his bond was set at $75,000.
Shafer, who was allegedly one of the false electors for Trump in Georgia after the former president lost the 2020 election, faces eight counts in District Attorney Fani Willis’ sweeping indictment against Trump and his 18 co-defendants. The charges against Shafer include two counts of false statements and writings and one count of criminal attempt to commit filing false documents and impersonating a public officer.
Latham, who served as chair of the Coffee County GOP, also allegedly served as one of Trump’s false presidential electors. She faces 11 counts in District Attorney Fani Willis’ sweeping indictment against Trump and his 18 co-defendants in the Georgia election probe.
The charges against Latham include impersonating a public officer, criminal attempt to commit filing false documents, and various conspiracy related counts to commit election fraud stemming from alleged efforts to illegally access voting machines in Coffee County. Court records yesterday showed that Latham had her bond set at $75,000.
Witness testimony changed in a separate Trump criminal case, special counsel says
Trump is facing four criminal cases. On Tuesday, prosecutors in the Florida-based classified documents case disclosed in a filing that a witness’s testimony changed after changing lawyers.
What happens if Trump violates his Fulton County bond conditions?
After Trump surrenders to Fulton County authorities Thursday, the former president will be released from custody in Georgia under an already agreed-upon set of conditions, including a $200,000 bond.
As part of the conditions, Trump will be prohibited from doing anything a judge could interpret as an effort to intimidate co-defendants or witnesses or “otherwise obstruct the administration of justice.”
More specifically, Trump “shall make no direct or indirect threat of any nature” against any co-defendant, witness or victim, the community or property in the community.
Read the full story.