Former President Donald Trump and 18 of his allies were indicted on Tuesday by a grand jury in Fulton County, Georgia, for their roles in trying to overturn the 2020 presidential election results in the state. The indictment, which was announced by District Attorney Fani Willis, charges Trump with 13 felony counts, including violating the Georgia Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act, solicitation of violation of oath by public officer, conspiracy to commit impersonating a public officer, conspiracy to commit forgery, and conspiracy to commit false statements.
Trump denies wrongdoing and claims political persecution
Trump, who has repeatedly and baselessly claimed that the election was rigged and stolen from him, denounced the indictment as a “witch hunt” and a “desperate sham” orchestrated by his political enemies. He accused Willis, a Democrat, of being “a radical left prosecutor” who is “trying to interfere with the 2024 Presidential Election”. He also claimed that he had “every legal right” to challenge the election results and that he was “fighting for the truth and for the integrity of our elections”.
Trump also attacked President Joe Biden and his administration, alleging that they have “weaponized government against their leading political opponent”. He said that Biden was “destroying our Country” with his policies on immigration, inflation, crime, energy, and foreign affairs. He vowed to “defeat these bogus charges” and to “win back the White House in 2024”.
Trump’s 2024 rivals offer mixed reactions to the indictment
The indictment has sparked different reactions from Trump’s potential rivals in the 2024 Republican presidential race. Some of them have expressed support for Trump, while others have criticized his conduct and called for him to drop out of the race.
- Former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, who has been one of Trump’s most vocal critics within the GOP, said that he was “uncomfortable” with the indictment and that he thought it was “unnecessary”. He argued that Trump’s conduct was already covered by the federal indictment brought by special counsel Jack Smith in Washington, D.C., and that the state case should be deferred or dismissed. However, he also said that Trump’s decision to run in 2024 was not an excuse for the justice system to stop operating and that he would confront Trump on the debate stage if he were to participate.
- Former Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson, who has also called for Trump to drop out of the race, said that the indictment further strengthened his belief that Trump should not be seeking the GOP nomination. He said that Trump’s actions were “unprecedented” and “damaging” to the country and the rule of law. He also said that Trump’s legal troubles would distract from the Republican agenda and give an advantage to the Democrats.
- Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, who is widely seen as one of Trump’s strongest allies and possible successors, defended Trump and accused Willis of engaging in “blatant election interference”. He said that Willis was “following Biden’s lead” by attacking Trump and using it to fundraise her political career. He also said that Americans would see through this “desperate sham” and that Trump would prevail in court.
- South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem, another staunch supporter of Trump, echoed DeSantis’ remarks and said that Willis was “abusing her power” to target Trump and his supporters. She said that Willis was “trying to silence millions of Americans who voted for President Trump” and that she was “undermining our democracy”. She also said that she stood with Trump and that she would continue to fight for election integrity.
Trump’s allies face legal jeopardy as well
The indictment also names 18 other defendants who are accused of aiding and abetting Trump in his scheme to overturn the election results in Georgia. They include former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows, former personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani, former campaign staff member Mike Roman, former Justice Department official Jeffrey Clark, pro-Trump lawyers Sidney Powell, Jenna Ellis, John Eastman, Ray Smith, Robert Cheeley, Cathy Latham, fake electors David Shafer and Shawn Still, publicist Trevian Kutti, pastor Stephen Lee, participant in election worker scheme Harrison Floyd, bail bondsman Scott Hall, Coffee County elections supervisor Misty Hampton Coffee.
The indictment alleges that these defendants conspired with Trump to pressure Georgia officials, including Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger and Governor Brian Kemp, to overturn or invalidate Biden’s victory in the state. It also alleges that they spread false and misleading information about voter fraud and election irregularities through social media, lawsuits, rallies, phone calls, letters, affidavits, and fake elector certificates.
The defendants face various felony charges similar to those faced by Trump. If convicted, they could face up to 20 years in prison for each count.
