ATLANTA, GA — Amid former President Donald Trump’s ongoing legal woes, Fulton County Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee oversaw Thursday a pretrial hearing in Trump’s election interference case in Georgia.
Trump, who was indicted along with 18 others in August 2023 after being accused of trying to overturn the 2020 presidential election results in Georgia, is facing several racketeering and election interference charges in Fulton County.
Arguments during the hearing encompassed why the charges should be dismissed against Trump, who claims he is protected by the First Amendment, and come after former Georgia GOP-chair David Shafer filed two pretrial motions, reports say.
Multiple Trump co-defendants have been accused by Fulton County prosecutors of being “fake electors,” a term defense attorneys have deemed “really nasty,” per CNN live updates.
Nearly two weeks after McAfee made a ruling that determined the fate of Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis leadership on the subversion case, Trump and other defendants plan to appeal the ruling in state court, the Associated Press reported.
The judge said there was no “actual conflict” due to their relationship, which would have disqualified Willis. Wade ultimately resigned from the case.
Trump was initially charged on suspicion of violation of the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, three counts of solicitation of violation of oath by public officer, conspiracy to commit impersonating a public officer, two counts of first-degree conspiracy to commit forgery, two counts of conspiracy to commit false statements and writings, conspiracy to commit filing false documents, filing false documents and false statements and writings.
However, McAfee quashed on March 13 six counts of solicitation of violation of oath by public officer against Trump, Giuliani, Meadows, Cheeley and attorneys Ray Smith and John Eastman.
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