Georgia election case: Trump, other 18 defendants surrender to authorities
Former President Trump was processed and released on bail.
Former President Donald Trump and the 18 other defendants charged by Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis for their alleged efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election in Georgia all surrendered to authorities at the Fulton County Jail in Atlanta.
Trump and 17 other defendants were processed and released on bail, with one defendant held without bond. Several defendants also mounted legal challenges to the DA's case.
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Mark Meadows released after being processed
Mark Meadows has been released after surrendering at the Fulton County Jail, the Fulton County Sheriff's Office said.
The former Trump chief of staff posted bond of $100,000.
The remaining eight defendants who have not yet turned themselves in are expected to surrender by Friday's noon deadline, the office said.
Harrison Floyd booked without securing bond
Harrison Floyd has been booked into Fulton County Jail, according to the Fulton County inmate database. No bond has been set for Floyd, according to his docket.
Floyd did not previously negotiate his bond agreement and remains in custody at the jail, the Fulton County Sheriff's Office said.
All of the other defendants who have been booked so far secured their bond package before entering the Fulton County Jail for processing.
The former director of Black Voices for Trump, Floyd allegedly worked to solicit Fulton County election worker Ruby Freeman.
Trump opposes DA's motion for October trial date
In Trump's first filing in the case, his attorney is now pushing back on the DA's motion -- which requested an Oct. 23 trial start date for all 19 defendants -- saying they oppose it.
"President Trump respectfully puts the Court on notice that he opposes the State's 'motion for entry of pretrial scheduling order' and 'motion to specially set trial,'" the filing states.
Trump attorney Steven Sadow also notified the court that they would be filing "a timely motion" to sever the case from Cheseboro -- who requested the speedy trial-- as well as any other defendant who "files such a demand."
"President Trump further respectfully puts the Court on notice that he requests the Court set a scheduling conference at its earliest convenience so he can be heard on the State's motions for entry of pretrial scheduling order and to specially set trial," the filing states.
Mark Meadows booked into Fulton County Jail
Mark Meadows has been booked at the Fulton County Jail, according to the Fulton County inmate database.
The former chief of staff unsuccessfully tried to prevent his surrender by filing an emergency motion to stay earlier this week, which was rejected on Wednesday.
His bond has been set at $100,000.
Willis opposes Meadows' motion to move case to federal court
Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis has responded to Mark Meadows' emergency motion to prevent his arrest and remove his case to federal court, arguing that the former Trump chief of staff's arguments are "baseless and in direct contravention with the requirements of the law."
"In essence, the defendant's emergency motion is a plea to this Court to prevent the defendant from being arrested on the charges lawfully brought by the State of Georgia," the response said, highlighting that Meadows had previously requested additional time to surrender on two occasions.
Willis argued that Meadows' removal motion only entitles him to an evidentiary hearing, which is already set for August 28; otherwise, criminal proceedings in the case, including his surrender, can continue as planned, the response said.
Meadows last week filed a motion to move his case on the basis of a federal law that he argued requires the removal of criminal proceedings brought in state court to the federal court system when someone is charged for actions they allegedly took as a federal official acting "under color" of their office.
Among other allegations, the DA's indictment says Meadows traveled to Cobb County Center and "attempted to observe the signature match audit being performed by law enforcement officers and officials from the Georgia Secretary of State despite the fact that the process was not open to the public" and that he sent a text message to a state investigator on Dec. 27, 2020, asking if there was a way to "speed up" results ahead of Jan. 6, "in furtherance of the conspiracy."