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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Bond for former DOJ official Jeffrey Clark set at $100,000
Bond for former Department of Justice official Jeffrey Clark has been set at $100,000.
Clark's bail conditions include not communicating with witnesses and co-defendants, reporting to pretrial services by phone every month, surrendering by noon on Friday and not obstructing justice by intimidating witnesses.
Clark unsuccessfully tried to prevent his surrender by filing an emergency motion to stay earlier this week, which was rejected Wednesday in district court.
The indictment alleged that Clark, while serving as a high-ranking DOJ official, made false statements in writing and in person to the acting attorney general and deputy attorney general, requesting authorization to tell Georgia officials that the DOJ "identified significant concerns that may have impacted the outcome of the election in multiple States, including the State of Georgia.”
DA Fani Willis requests trial date beginning Oct. 23
District Attorney Fani Willis requested a trial start date of Oct. 23, 2023, for all 19 defendants, according to a filing in response to Kenneth Chesebro's demand for a speedy trial.
"The State of Georgia, through Fulton County District Attorney Fani T. Willis, and respectfully requests that this Court specially set the trial in this case to commence for all 19 defendants on October 23, 2023," the motion said.
Former Ye publicist and Trump supporter Trevian Kutti gets $75K bond
Trevian Kutti, a publicist who previously represented controversial musicians R. Kelly and Ye, has been given a $75,000 bond, according to her bond agreement signed by Judge Scott McAfee.
Kutti’s bail conditions include not communicating with witnesses and co-defendants, reporting to pretrial services by phone every month and not obstructing justice by intimidating witnesses.
Prosecutors allege that Kutti traveled from Chicago to Atlanta and attempted to contact Ruby Freeman, a Fulton County election worker, in order to convince her to report election fraud claims in testimony.
Mark Meadows' bond set at $100K
Fulton County Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee set bond for former chief of staff Mark Meadows at $100,000.
His bail conditions include not communicating with witnesses and co-defendants, reporting to pretrial services by phone every month and not obstructing justice by intimidating witnesses.
The bond also included a line to ensure he surrenders at Fulton County Jail by Friday at noon.
"The Defendant shall turn himself into the Fulton County Jail by 12:00 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time on Friday, August 25, 2023. If the Defendant does not turn himself into the Fulton County Jail by this date and time, this consent bond order shall be null and void," the consent order said.
Meadows had sought to delay surrendering as he tried to get his case moved to federal court, but that was rejected Wednesday.
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."