This is the fourth indictment against Trump. And then not even at the federal level, but in Georgia. But no one should underestimate the investigation – certainly not the ex-president himself.
Things are different in Georgia. Donald Trump has been charged in the US state – it is the fourth charge of a crime against the former president. Prosecutors accuse him of conspiring with allies to overturn the 2020 presidential election results.
A similar charge against him already exists at the federal level in the capital Washington. But the indictment from the southeast of the country stands out – and shows in an impressive way how the Republican shook democracy after the election.
The indictment in Georgia has it all: In addition to the 77-year-old, 18 other people are accused. Including well-known faces such as New York’s former mayor and Trump’s former lawyer Rudy Giuliani. And even the hours before the indictment was published are remarkable. Because unlike the previous charges against Trump, you can see live on television how the crucial papers were presented to a judge. TV cameras are there as a court clerk carries the papers through the court corridors. And it could soon be broadcast live on television when Trump and the other accused have to appear for the indictment. It’s pretty common in Georgia.
100 pages of indictment
The allegations there are strong. The indictment is nearly 100 pages. The name Shaye Moss is also found in it. She received national attention last year when she testified before the congressional investigative committee into the Capitol attack. At that time, the young woman seemed as if she were at the end of her strength. “I don’t want to go anywhere anymore. I question everything,” she said in complete disarray. People would have threatened her, wished her dead. All because of the “lies” about the election and because she did her job.
Moss was a campaign aide in Georgia for the 2020 presidential election. Trump’s allies falsely claimed after the election that aides like her threw out ballots for Trump and counted fake ballots for Biden. Moss and her mother were targeted by Trump supporters for appearing in a video that was circulated. For both women, lying about them became a human drama. The defamation of campaign workers is now one piece of the puzzle in the indictment against Trump and his supporters.
A phone call in which Trump himself called on his Republican party colleague – Georgia’s top election supervisor, Brad Raffensperger – to “find” enough votes for him made headlines around the world. Because Trump had narrowly lost to Democrat Joe Biden in the state. There’s an audio recording of the call. He is now notorious for Trump’s shameless attempts to sneak into another term in the White House. But that call isn’t the only effort the then-president and his allies allegedly made to overturn the Georgia election results.
Trump and his team are said to have put pressure on other leaders in the state. In a conspiracy with third parties, the Republican is accused of making false statements about the election results. Trump loyalists are also said to have falsely posed as voters. The New York Times calls the events in Georgia a portrait of an American democracy that has been pushed to its limits. As if under a magnifying glass, this shows how far Trump was willing to go – and the methods he used to cling to power.
Prosecutor Fani Willis of Fulton County, Georgia, has been investigating Trump and his allies for more than two years. The Democrat took office shortly after the presidential election. The 52-year-old has since been violently attacked and insulted by Trump. At first glance, a state-level indictment may seem less weighty compared to the federal prosecution against Trump, where Trump is charged with alleged voter fraud and keeping top-secret documents in his home.
US media: Prosecution should not be underestimated
But the prosecution in Georgia should not be underestimated. US media also agree on this. For the “Washington Post” the indictment is “much more comprehensive and detailed” than that of alleged voter fraud in Washington. According to experts, it could also be much more difficult for Trump’s team in Georgia to significantly delay the process.
And even if he manages to drag out a trial until one day he might be back in the White House himself, he probably won’t be able to shake off the investigation. Because at the state level, he can’t just randomly appoint a new prosecutor who drops the charges. The situation is similar when it comes to pardons: in the federal government, a president can issue pardons, possibly for himself, but not in a state.
The indictment in Georgia also stands out because Trump has so many other allies indicted. Prosecutor Willis says she wants to try all 19 together. That should be a logistical challenge – and a great spectacle, especially in the middle of the election campaign.
If convicted, there is a risk of imprisonment
Trump’s lawyers have tried in recent months to slow down the investigation in Georgia with legal tricks. They went as far as the state’s highest court – without success. Willis continued. If Trump is convicted, like the other charges against him, he faces several years in prison. And the indictment in Georgia has one more thing in common with the other pending trials: It doesn’t change the fact that Trump can apply for the Republican presidential candidacy as usual – and possibly move back into the White House after the 2024 election.
Despite the charges, Trump is still the favorite in the race for his party’s presidential candidacy. His followers are loyal to him, as polls show. But in order to win the election himself in November next year and to deny Democrat Joe Biden re-election, he would also have to convince centrist voters. The charges, processes and possibly even a conviction are likely to be a heavy ballast.
Source: Stern
I have been working in the news industry for over 6 years, first as a reporter and now as an editor. I have covered politics extensively, and my work has appeared in major newspapers and online news outlets around the world. In addition to my writing, I also contribute regularly to 24 Hours World.
