ATLANTA—Former President Donald Trump and 18 co-defendants were indicted by a grand jury in Fulton County, Georgia, on Monday evening in relation to the former president’s efforts to dispute the 2020 election results in the state.
The 98-page indictment (pdf) charges President Trump with 13 counts, including violation of the state’s Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act, solicitation of violation of oath by a public officer, conspiracy to commit forgery in the first degree, and conspiracy to commit filing of false documents.
Alongside the former president, 18 others were indicted, including his former White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows, his former attorneys Rudy Giuliani, Jenna Ellis, and attorney Sidney Powell.
Each of the 19 defendants faced a number of charges but were all charged on the RICO Act. A total of 41 charges were filed in the case.
“The indictment alleges that rather than abide by Georgia’s legal process for election challenges, the defendants engaged in a criminal racketeering enterprise to overturn Georgia’s presidential election result,” Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis said at a brief press conference late Monday.
She alleged that the goal of the 19 defendants was to allow President Trump to “seize the presidential term of office” beginning on Jan. 20, 2021.
The district attorney said she intends to try all 19 defendants together. While the grand jury issued arrest warrants for the defendants, Ms. Willis said she is allowing defendants to voluntarily surrender by no later than noon on Friday, Aug. 25.
President Trump, in a video published on his campaign website not long after the unsealing of the indictment, said, “Justice and the rule of law are officially dead in America.”
“This marks the fourth act of election interference by Crooked Joe Biden and the communist Democrats who are absolutely destroying our country,” he added.
President Trump’s campaign also released a lengthy statement alleging the latest criminal charges are a politically-motivated attack launched by Ms. Willis.
By Janice Hisle
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