Posted August 28, 2023 | by KimS | in 2024 Presidential Election, DemDaily, Donald Trump, Judicial, Republican Scandal, Trump Legal, Trump Organization

DemDaily: Inmate #P01135809

August 28, 2023

It is the mugshot seen around the world -- the first in history of a US President and the first for twice-impeached former President Donald Trump -- despite now 91 felony counts to his credit in four jurisdictions.

The "booking shot" of Trump was taken following his formal arrest and arraignment last Friday in Atlanta, Georgia on 13 separate counts -- including conspiracy under Georgia's Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) law, soliciting a public official to violate their oath, conspiracy to commit impersonating a public officer, conspiracy to commit forgery, filing of false documents and charges related to false statements and writings.

The indictment of Trump and 18 co-conspirators, for their "criminal racketeering enterprise" in an attempt to overturn the 2020 presidential election results in Georgia, was announced August 14 by Fulton County US Attorney Fani Willis.

The indictment of Trump and 18 co-conspirators, for their "criminal racketeering enterprise" in an attempt to overturn the 2020 presidential election results in Georgia, was announced August 14 by Fulton County US Attorney Fani Willis.

All 18 co-conspirators were also charged in the RICO conspiracy, normally associated with organized crime, which requires a guilty verdict of only two predicated acts or underlying crimes for conviction.

Other charges leveled against the defendants, which include former New York Mayor and Trump's personal attorney Rudy Giuliani and Trump's ex-White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows, entail conspiracy to commit forgery in the first degree, impersonating a public officer, influencing witnesses and conspiracy to commit false statements and writings.

All but one of the 19 defendants have paid between $10,000 and $200,000 -- the amount charged for Trump -- to be out on bail ahead of a future trial. The exception is Harrison Floyd, former Director of Black Voices for Trump, who did not reach a bond agreement with Fulton County prosecutors and is being detained at the local jail.

Willis announced that she intends to bring all 19 defendants to trial at the same time, but requests by some defendants for an expedited trial threatens to disrupt those plans -- along with the schedule of Trump's other criminal and civil trials.

In the first related request, a Georgia judge granted a "speedy trial" to Trump lawyer Kenneth Chesebro, accused of seven felony counts in Willis' investigation, set for October 23. Meadows, who testified for three hours in an evidentiary hearing today, is trying to move his case from state to federal court.

Trials Pending
Washington, DC District Judge Tanya Chutkan today set March 4, 2023 as the starting trial date for Trump's federal prosecution on charges of conspiring to overturn the 2020 election -- the same day proposed by Willis for the beginning of the Georgia trial.

Department of Justice Special counsel Jack Smith, who led the election conspiracy case and was in the courtroom for the hearing, had originally proposed the trial start in January.

The trials would fall on the day before Super Tuesday, when 15 states are scheduled to hold Republican primaries or caucuses, and just eight days before Georgia’s March 12 presidential primary.

Chutkan dismissed arguments by Trump’s attorneys that they needed until April 2026 to prepare for the trial. Postponement of any of Trump's federal trials until after the 2024 presidential election would give him the opportunity -- if successful in taking back the White House -- to pardon himself or have his attorney general dismiss the case(s).

Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg's case, in which Trump is accused of 34 felony counts of falsifying business records involving hush money payments to silence an adult film star during the 2016 election, has been scheduled to go to trial on March 25.

May 20, 2024 is the trial date set for the DOJ's classified documents case, in which Trump is charged with 40 felony counts of illegal transfer, detention and coverup of highly classified US secrets in violation of the Presidential Records Act.

The first up, however, will be New York Attorney General Letitia James' $250 million civil lawsuit charging the Trump Organization, Trump, his adult children, and others for their part in a “staggering” decade-long scheme to criminally defraud tax authorities. The trial is scheduled for October 2, 2023.

Another civil case against Trump, for defamation of author E. Jean Carroll, is scheduled for trial January 15, 2024.

Profiteering: Trump's campaign is capitalizing on his mugshot by selling t-shirts, beverage coolers and posters plastered with the image, above the tagline: "Never Surrender!" or "Inmate #P01135809." The sales benefit Trump's legal defense fund. In the first 48 hours following his arrest last Thursday in Georgia, Trump reportedly raised $7.1 million.

Profiteering: Trump's campaign is capitalizing on his mugshot by selling t-shirts, beverage coolers and posters plastered with the image, above the tagline: "Never Surrender!" or "Inmate #P01135809." The sales benefit Trump's legal defense fund. In the first 48 hours following his arrest last Thursday in Georgia, Trump reportedly raised $7.1 million.

DemList will keep you informed.