A grand jury in Georgia has ruled to indict former US President Donald Trump and 18 others over attempts to reverse the Republican’s 2020 defeat of the state. be convicted, with a maximum of 20 years.
In 2020, during the polling of votes in the state, Donald Trump, then President of the United States, called the Secretary General of State, also Republican Brad Raffensperger. In the conversation, recorded and later released by Raffensperger, Trump asked him to find 11,780 votes, the amount he needed to count the state’s electoral delegates, an element that could define the election.
But the charges filed by Fani Willis, the Fulton County attorney, didn’t just focus on the phone conversation that was widely covered by the media. In 97 pages, the indictment presents evidence of a wide criminal action, involving pressure on election workers and false testimonies presented in state courts. Another 30 unindicted co-conspirators are named in the document.
Fani Willis said in a press conference that the goal is to judge the case in 6 months. Analysts believe, however, that this is more a wish than a real possibility. With so many accused, the case could take years to reach a trial. If convicted, however, since the case is statewide, not even a presidential pardon – or self-pardon – could prevent him from being arrested.
Politically, the case in Georgia has negative impacts for Donald Trump. Among the prosecution’s witnesses are figures from the Republican Party itself, something that could strengthen Georgia’s shift, traditionally Republican, towards the Democratic Party. In addition, Willis, heavily attacked by Trump, said the trial will be open to the media and televised.
One year before the election, Trump continues to claim that the 4 indictments against him are politically motivated, a witch hunt due to the fact that he is leading in the polls for the Republican nomination for 2024. Although the indictments have been good for his internal popularity in the party, it is very likely that a conviction in any of the 4 cases would hurt him in an overall race against Joe Biden.
WHAT ARE THE OTHER CASES AGAINST TRUMP?
NEW YORK – Trump faces 34 counts of falsifying official documents with the intent to hide a bribe payment to former porn star Stormy Daniels, with whom he allegedly had an affair. The trial of the case is scheduled for March 2024. If convicted, Trump faces 4 years in prison and can only be pardoned by the governor of New York, Democrat Kathy Hochul.
MIAMI – The former president faces 40 counts relating to the illegal retention of classified documents after leaving the White House, as well as conspiracy to obstruct a federal investigation and false testimony. The trial of the case is scheduled to take place in May 2024. If convicted, Trump could face up to 35 years in prison. Since these are federal crimes, he could be pardoned by the President of the United States.
WASHINGTON, DC – In the most serious case yet, Trump is accused of conspiring to try to reverse the results of the 2020 election, thus violating basic rights of the country’s citizens. The accusation was made based on investigations into the invasion of the Capitol on January 6 and the jury will be made up of residents of Washington, a city where Trump had less than 6% of the votes in 2020. On August 28, the date of the trial and the prosecution’s proposal is to take place on January 2, 2024. Trump faces 35 years in prison. As in the case of Miami, because they are federal crimes Trump can receive a presidential pardon.
Editing: Rodrigo Durão Coelho
