Former President Donald Trump and 18 of his associates are facing a sweeping indictment in Georgia, accused of scheming to overturn the 2020 election and obstruct the peaceful transition of power. The charges, brought forth by Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis, come after a more than two-year investigation and mark the fourth criminal case against the former president.
The indicted individuals face a range of charges, including racketeering, violating the oath of a public officer, forgery, and making false statements, among others. All 19 defendants are required to surrender to authorities by August 25.
Here’s a closer look at some of the key figures named in the indictment:
Donald Trump: The then-President obsessed over Georgia’s 2020 election results and made baseless claims of widespread fraud. He attempted to influence state officials, including a controversial phone call with Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger where he urged him to “find” enough votes to change the outcome.
Rudy Giuliani: Trump’s attorney, Giuliani, participated in legislative hearings promoting unsupported claims of election fraud. He was involved in a plan to have Georgia Republicans falsely swear that Trump had won the election and declare themselves electors.
John Eastman: Former dean of Chapman University law school, Eastman, authored a memo suggesting that then-Vice President Mike Pence could overturn election results during a joint session of Congress. The memo detailed appointing “alternate” electors to falsely certify Trump’s victory.
Mark Meadows: Trump’s chief of staff visited Georgia during an audit of absentee ballot envelopes. He passed along phone numbers and participated in the Jan. 2, 2021, phone call between Trump and Raffensperger.
Sidney Powell: A vocal Trump ally, Powell was part of a group that explored options to influence election results. She arranged for a computer forensics team to copy data from election equipment in Coffee County, Georgia.
Jenna Ellis: Another attorney and Trump ally, Ellis advised Pence to disregard electoral votes from contested states during the certification process on January 6, 2021.
And more: The indictment outlines the roles of various individuals who were involved in efforts to question the legitimacy of the 2020 election and overturn the results.
This indictment underscores the depth of the alleged scheme and its impact on the democratic process. The charged individuals must now navigate legal proceedings while facing significant accusations related to their efforts to undermine the election results and subvert the peaceful transition of power.
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