Donald Trump indicted: Key players in ex-president’s legal battles
Former President Donald Trump Faces Legal Battles Across Multiple States
Former President Donald Trump is currently embroiled in four criminal cases and facing five indictments, involving four judges, two district attorneys, and one special counsel. These legal battles span across two different states and the Justice Department.
Georgia Indictment: The Biggest Case of Fani Willis’ Life
On Monday night, Trump received his fifth indictment since March from Fulton County, Georgia. The indictment includes 13 counts, such as felony racketeering and numerous conspiracy charges, among a total of 41 counts involving 18 others. Judge Scott McAfee has been assigned to the case.
Furthermore, three other judges, one special counsel, and one district attorney are preparing to hear or plead their cases against the former president in the coming year.
Overview of Donald Trump’s Legal Cases
Let’s take a closer look at each of the cases:
Case 1: Manhattan – Alvin Bragg and Juan Merchan
In March, Trump was indicted on 34 felony counts in Manhattan, New York. The charges revolve around the falsification of business records to facilitate hush money payments to adult film star Stormy Daniels during the 2016 campaign.
Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg and his team made history by being the first to bring an indictment against a former president. Bragg, a Democrat, has faced criticism from Trump, who repeatedly tries to discredit the investigation by highlighting Bragg’s association with liberal donor George Soros.
New York Supreme Court Judge Juan Merchan will preside over Trump’s business fraud indictment. Trump requested Merchan’s recusal, arguing that the judge’s previous involvement in a tax fraud trial against the Trump Organization and his daughter’s ad company’s potential financial benefit from the case would compromise his impartiality. However, Merchan rejected the recusal request, setting up a contentious environment for the trial scheduled on March 25, 2024.
Case 2: DOJ, Classified Documents Investigation - Jack Smith and Aileen Cannon
In June, a grand jury in Florida indicted Trump on 37 counts, including violations of the Espionage Act, related to the mishandling of classified documents discovered at Mar-a-Lago. Special counsel Jack Smith later released a superseding indictment, bringing the total charges against Trump to 40.
Republicans have expressed concern over the FBI raid at Trump’s Florida home and the steady stream of information from FBI whistleblowers. Trump has criticized Smith, accusing him of election interference and prosecutorial misconduct. However, U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon, appointed by Trump in 2020, will oversee the case, potentially providing an advantage to the former president. The trial is set for May 20, 2024.
Case 3: DOJ, Jan. 6 Investigation – Jack Smith and Tanya Chutkan
Trump is also under investigation by special counsel Jack Smith for his involvement in the efforts to overturn the 2020 election, which led to the January 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol. The indictment was issued on August 1 in Washington, D.C.
Republicans have criticized U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan, an appointee of Barack Obama, for her perceived bias in issuing harsher sentences for those involved in the January 6 riots. Trump has frequently attacked Chutkan on social media, accusing her of being highly partisan and unfair. Chutkan has responded by placing a protective order on the case to limit public disclosure of evidence. The trial date is yet to be scheduled.
Case 4: Georgia – Fani Willis and Scott McAfee
Fani Willis, the first black woman to lead the Fulton County district attorney‘s office, recently released criminal charges against Trump. She has faced backlash from the former president and his allies, many of whom were also named in the indictment.
Trump has launched a barrage of attacks against Willis, calling her an “out of control and very corrupt” district attorney who is targeting him. Judge Scott McAfee, appointed by Gov. Brian Kemp, will preside over the case. Willis aims to have the trial within the next six months, but the trial date will ultimately be determined by McAfee.
As these legal battles unfold, the former president finds himself entangled in a complex web of court proceedings, with each case presenting its own unique challenges and dynamics.
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