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Donald Trump and several of his allies have been charged in Georgia over their alleged illegal attempts to overturn the results of the 2020 election.
The former president was indicted on Monday night with 18 other people, including former White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows and former Trump lawyer and New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, as part of Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis' expansive election interference investigation.
The 98-page indictment details a total of 41 charges against the defendants, with each one accused under the state's Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act, which is commonly used to prosecute organized crime gangs.
Trump himself has been charged with 13 offenses, including the RICO charges, solicitation of violation of oath by a public officer; conspiracy to impersonate a public officer; conspiracy to commit forgery in the first degree; false statements and writings and filing false documents.
Trump, the frontrunner for the 2024 GOP presidential nomination, has denied the allegations against him, and accused Willis of being a "rabid partisan" who is engaging in "election interference" with her investigation.
"The legal double-standard set against President Trump must end. Under the Crooked Biden Cartel, there are no rules for Democrats, while Republicans face criminal charges for exercising their First Amendment rights," the Trump campaign added.
Willis' office has been contacted for comment via email.
What Next for Trump?
During a press conference on Monday, Willis gave Trump and the 18 other defendants in her case until noon on August 25 to surrender to a Georgia court to face the charges against them.
Booking
As part of his arraignment, Trump would have to be processed in Fulton Court to be formally charged.
Trump will get his fingerprints taken, with Fulton County Sheriff Pat Labat previously suggesting Trump will be treated like any other suspect during his arraignment, including having a booking photo taken.
"Unless somebody tells me differently, we are following our normal practices, and so it doesn't matter your status, we'll have a mugshot ready for you," Labat said.
Trump and the other defendants will also be asked to enter a plea as part of their arraignment. Other details such as pre-trial bond and bail conditions will also be decided at the first hearing.
Trial
Willis has also indicated that she wants all 19 defendants tried at the same time, and is aiming for the proceedings to begin within six months.
Whether such a timeframe for the sprawling case involving 19 suspects will be met is unclear. Trump and his legal team are almost certain to try to delay and argue against proceedings including attempting to have the case moved out of Fulton County, or dismissed entirely.
Jury Selection
Once a trial date has been set, the process of jury selection will begin. This again could be lengthy due the the size and scope of the RICO case, as well as the politically charged nature of the trial.
Where Trump's Other Cases Stand
The Georgia election interference case is the fourth indictment Trump has faced this year, having previously pleaded not guilty in the federal classified documents and January 6 cases, as well as the alleged falsifying business records probe in New York.
The "hush money" trial, where Trump is accused of falsifying business records in relation to the $130,000 he arranged for his former attorney Michael Cohen to pay adult film star Stormy Daniels to keep an alleged affair the pair had a secret ahead of the 2016 election, is due to begin in New York on March 25, 2024.
Next May, Trump is also due to stand trial on 40 charges in relation to allegations he illegally retained classified documents after he left the White House in January 2021, then willfully obstructed the federal attempt to retrieve them.
A trial date in the federal investigation into Trump's alleged attempts to overturn the 2020 election, in which he has pleaded not guilty to four charges, has not been set. Special Counsel Jack Smith's office is requesting that the trial begins on January 2, 2024.
About the writer
Ewan Palmer is a Newsweek News Reporter based in London, U.K. His focus is reporting on US politics, and Florida ... Read more