Ex-GOP chairman claims Trump attorneys spearheaded Georgia alternate electors scheme.

Former Georgia Republican Party Head​ Indicted in Racketeering Case

Former Georgia Republican Party head, David Shafer,⁤ has found himself at the center of a high-profile racketeering case⁤ in Fulton County. Shafer, along with 18 co-defendants, including‌ former President Donald⁤ Trump, is accused of conspiring to subvert the 2020 election results. Attorneys for Trump, ‌his campaign, and local ⁣GOP members allegedly called⁣ on Shafer to create a slate of alternate electors as part of ⁤this alleged conspiracy.

Shafer’s Defense

In a filing requesting to move‍ the case to federal court, Shafer claimed that he and other Republican electors were acting under the direction ​of the incumbent President⁢ and other federal officials. He stated that an attorney for the President was ⁤present at the meeting of the presidential electors and advised them that their duties were necessary‍ on behalf of the President and the Constitution. Shafer identified co-defendant Ray Smith III as the attorney in question.

Transcript Revealed

Shafer presented a transcript of a ‌meeting between pro-Trump alternate electors, which showed ​Smith addressing the group before they signed an unofficial document certifying Trump’s⁣ election victory. Smith ⁣explained that they were conducting this action because the election⁢ contest ‌in Georgia was⁢ ongoing and that they were following the Constitution. He referenced a similar situation in Hawaii ‍in 1960.

Prosecutors’ Rejection

Prosecutors from District Attorney Fani Willis’s team rejected Shafer’s argument that he was solely following the advice of Trump campaign lawyers. They suggested that Shafer had a leadership role above the alternate electors, ​leading to his indictment on racketeering charges.

Historical Reference

Smith’s mention of the 1960 Hawaii case referred‌ to a situation where Democrats signed⁤ documents claiming ‍to ‍be the state’s legitimate ‍electors during an ongoing recount. Although Richard Nixon had initially won the state, the recount indicated that John Kennedy was likely to prevail. Democrats convened to preserve their ability ⁣to have their electors counted in case the outcome‌ reversed. Ultimately, Hawaii went to Kennedy, and ‌the new governor certified his victory just before Congress convened for electoral​ vote counting.

Despite the historical reference, the indictment against Shafer and the other defendants stands, and they face various charges related to racketeering, impersonation, forgery, and filing false documents.

Source: The Washington⁢ Examiner

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