Trump warns he will seek to move his Georgia election trial to federal court in the next 30 days
- A court change would allow Trump to claim he is immune from prosecution
- Mark Meadows and other defendants have already requested the same step
Former President Donald Trump signaled in a filing Thursday his intention to move a Georgia criminal case accusing him of trying to reverse his 2020 presidential defeat from district court to federal court.
Several of his co-defendants have taken similar steps.
And it could give him certain advantages, such as giving him and his lawyers additional arguments to dismiss the case and opening up a broader pool of potential jurors rather than just drawing them from predominantly liberal Atlanta.
“President Trump hereby notifies the court that he may move to dismiss his prosecution in federal court,” attorney Steven Sadow said in the court filing.
“In order to be timely, his deportation must be filed within 30 days of his indictment.”
Donald Trump signaled in a filing Thursday his intention to move a Georgia criminal case accusing him of trying to reverse his 2020 presidential defeat from district court to federal court
Fulton County Chief Justice Scott McAfee said Wednesday the first trials could begin next month. He allows television cameras for the trial
Trump is currently the front-runner for the Republican nomination in 2024, despite facing legal problems on four fronts.
In Georgia last month he was indicted along with 18 others in a large racketeering and conspiracy case.
They are accused of trying to pressure Georgian officials to overturn the 2020 result. And they all have denied any wrongdoing.
Former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows has already asked for a change of venue in federal court, where he is likely to argue that he was immune from prosecution because he was a federal employee at the time of the alleged crime.
A judge is expected to rule on his and other petitions in the coming weeks.
Trump could also argue that he acted in his role as president and therefore cannot be prosecuted.
Prosecutors want to bring the huge case to court as soon as possible. On Wednesday, Judge Scott McAfee asked them to detail how long it will take them in court.
“First, we will contend that a trial of these 19 co-defendants will last four months and does not include jury selection,” said special prosecutor Nathan Wade.
“And of course it also depends on whether the defendants have decided to testify or not, but four months is our time estimate.”
“Measured by the number of witnesses, the state intends to call over 150 witnesses.”
“President Trump hereby notifies the court that he may move to dismiss his prosecution in federal court,” attorney Steven Sadow said in the brief court filing
Fulton County Sheriff’s Office officers outside the Fulton County Courthouse on Sept. 6
McAfee, who broadcast the hearing on his own YouTube channel, responded that it could easily take twice as long.
Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis last month used the state’s anti-crime law to obtain a massive 41-count indictment and made clear she wants to try all 19 defendants together. But the maneuvers and delays have already begun amid bewildering legal challenges.
Your goal of October 23 already seems far-fetched.
On Wednesday, it was the turn of pro-Trump lawyers Kenneth Chesebro and Sidney Powell to make their case for their cases to be heard quickly but separately.