Fulton County Georgia indictments is evidence that Donald Trump did not act alone
Echo editorial opinion published by the Houston Chronicle:
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Read the Raffensperger-Trump full transcript on CNN here.
It made a certain kind of sense. A majority of Georgians hadn’t voted for a Democrat in nearly 30 years. The state was part of the Republican’s solid lock on the South.
It made a certain kind of sense. A majority of Georgians hadn’t voted for a Democrat in nearly 30 years. The state was part of the Republican’s solid lock on the South.
Yet, Trump had narrowly lost to Biden by a margin of just 11,779 votes. It had been weeks since the presidential election in November, but Trump was insistent he could stay in the White House if he could wrangle Georgia and a handful of other states to his side.
Well, Georgia doesn’t mess around❗😠
Well, Georgia doesn’t mess around❗😠
Now, it is the site of the fourth and arguably most important, and strongest, of the criminal indictments that have riveted the nation.
It’s Trump, currently the Republican presidential frontrunner, and his associates who face criminal charges. Among their schemes, the cabal is accused of trying to create and certify fake pro-Trump electors, tampering with voting machines, lying to officials and harassing election workers, including Ruby Freeman.
While these indictments were once unthinkable — a former president facing scores of criminal charges, including some 91 felonies ❗— they have also become almost routine. Falsified business papers. Stolen top-secret documents. Attempting to disrupt the peaceful transition of power that is a hallmark of American democracy. And now, an organized effort to muscle Trump’s way back into office. This indictment, however, has a particular sting.
It comes from a grand jury in the South and as a state case, a conviction could withstand any designs Trump might have to pardon himself if he’s elected president again.
Raffensperger did end up before a special grand jury — but only as a witness.
It’s Trump, currently the Republican presidential frontrunner, and his associates who face criminal charges. Among their schemes, the cabal is accused of trying to create and certify fake pro-Trump electors, tampering with voting machines, lying to officials and harassing election workers, including Ruby Freeman.
While these indictments were once unthinkable — a former president facing scores of criminal charges, including some 91 felonies — they have also become almost routine. Falsified business papers. Stolen top-secret documents. Attempting to disrupt the peaceful transition of power that is a hallmark of American democracy. And now, an organized effort to muscle Trump’s way back into office. This indictment, however, has a particular sting.
It comes from a grand jury in the South and as a state case, a conviction could withstand any designs Trump might have to pardon himself if he’s elected president again. But it’s also key because of the many others swept up alongside him. In addition to the 18 other named defendants, there are another 30 un-named co-conspirators mentioned in the indictment.
Georgia! 😲The state Trump once thought could save him may be the one to sink him. Though the Trump case focuses on Georgia, it includes details about similar efforts in other states.
A Fulton County grand jury indicted Trump and 18 others on sweeping criminal charges related to a broad effort to overturn the 2020, election results there.
The charges are complex but they boil down to one point — Trump didn’t act alone.
“I just want to find 11,780 votes, ❗which is one more than we have,”😠😞 the then-president told the Georgia secretary of state, Brad Raffensperger, a fellow Republican, on a recorded phone call in early January 2021.
Among those who joined Trump on the call was Chief of Staff Mark Meadows. But, to Trump’s repeated frustration, some Republicans stood firm against his conniving.
“You know what they did and you’re not reporting it,” Trump continued, pressuring Brad Raffensperger to back claims of voter fraud that Trump and a team of allies were hellbent on proving. “That’s a criminal offense,” he threatened.
Raffensperger did end up before a special grand jury — but only as a witness.
The charges are complex but they boil down to one point — Trump didn’t act alone.
“I just want to find 11,780 votes, ❗which is one more than we have,”😠😞 the then-president told the Georgia secretary of state, Brad Raffensperger, a fellow Republican, on a recorded phone call in early January 2021.
Among those who joined Trump on the call was Chief of Staff Mark Meadows. But, to Trump’s repeated frustration, some Republicans stood firm against his conniving.
“You know what they did and you’re not reporting it,” Trump continued, pressuring Brad Raffensperger to back claims of voter fraud that Trump and a team of allies were hellbent on proving. “That’s a criminal offense,” he threatened.
Raffensperger did end up before a special grand jury — but only as a witness.
While these indictments were once unthinkable — a former president facing scores of criminal charges, including some 91 felonies ❗— they have also become almost routine. Falsified business papers. Stolen top-secret documents. Attempting to disrupt the peaceful transition of power that is a hallmark of American democracy. And now, an organized effort to muscle Trump’s way back into office. This indictment, however, has a particular sting.
It comes from a grand jury in the South and as a state case, a conviction could withstand any designs Trump might have to pardon himself if he’s elected president again.
But, it’s also key because of the many others swept up alongside him. In addition to the 18 other named defendants, there are another 30 un-named co-conspirators mentioned in the indictment.
“You know what they did and you’re not reporting it,” Trump continued, pressuring Brad Raffensperger to back claims of voter fraud that Trump and a team of allies were hellbent on proving. “That’s a criminal offense,” he threatened.
“You know what they did and you’re not reporting it,” Trump continued, pressuring Brad Raffensperger to back claims of voter fraud that Trump and a team of allies were hellbent on proving. “That’s a criminal offense,” he threatened.
Raffensperger did end up before a special grand jury — but only as a witness.
It’s Trump, currently the Republican presidential frontrunner, and his associates who face criminal charges. Among their schemes, the cabal is accused of trying to create and certify fake pro-Trump electors, tampering with voting machines, lying to officials and harassing election workers, including Ruby Freeman.
While these indictments were once unthinkable — a former president facing scores of criminal charges, including some 91 felonies — they have also become almost routine. Falsified business papers. Stolen top-secret documents. Attempting to disrupt the peaceful transition of power that is a hallmark of American democracy. And now, an organized effort to muscle Trump’s way back into office. This indictment, however, has a particular sting.
It comes from a grand jury in the South and as a state case, a conviction could withstand any designs Trump might have to pardon himself if he’s elected president again. But it’s also key because of the many others swept up alongside him. In addition to the 18 other named defendants, there are another 30 un-named co-conspirators mentioned in the indictment.
Georgia! 😲The state Trump once thought could save him may be the one to sink him. Though the Trump case focuses on Georgia, it includes details about similar efforts in other states.
Fulton County District Attorney Fani T. Willis charged Trump and his co-conspirators under the state’s anti-racketeering law — the same law Willis has used to prosecute Atlanta rappers Young Thug and Gunna for their alleged involvement in a criminal street gang. The Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act that pieces together the many charges in Trump’s case is more commonly linked to mafia associates, not presidential ones.
It’s fitting. Trump seems to have rarely acted alone. An army of Yes Men loyalists are accused of chasing down and promoting hair-brained, and potentially criminal, schemes on his behalf. Some, like Rudy Giuliani, did so in the spotlight, a brownish hair product melting down his face as he spun his baseless fraud claims at a press conference, while others worked behind the scenes.
This latest indictment serves as a reminder that it’s the actions of people around Trump that have, again and again, allowed him to boast and scheme his way through life.
It wasn’t just Cabinet officials and inner-circle types. It also included David Shafer, Georgia’s former Republican Party leader, and Cathy Latham, the Coffee County, Ga., Republican Party leader and one of the alleged fake electors who signed falsified documents declaring Trump the rightful winner.
Their involvement has been widely reported but Monday’s indictment lays it all out: Trump doesn’t Trump alone. Without his enablers, he’d never have come so close to overthrowing a fair election. The enablers should be held accountable as well.
Trump still enjoys tremendous sway, able to turn what would have been career-destroying news for other politicians into a rallying call. Trump’s resilience seems like a super power but it’s not. He’s like a comic book villain enlisting a gang of half-witted henchmen.
The country may be growing tired of indictment news. Or perhaps frustrated at the slow pace of resolution. Even though the Fulton County DA is ambitiously seeking one trial for all defendants within six months, it could be much longer before the Georgia indictments make their way through court, and potentially years before we know the outcomes of all cases.
For now, we ask Americans to read the Georgia indictments, not just for their sweeping scope but for how the allegations affect the lives of regular people.
Sit with the question: would you have signed those fake elector papers? Would you have harassed and vilified an innocent poll worker to the point that she endured death threats for doing her patriotic duty?
Will you support the nomination and election of a man whose alleged criminal exploits to overthrow American democracy can be likened to the mafia thuggery? We Americans may be entertained by mobsters on HBO. They are less charming in real life. Even less so in the White House.
It’s fitting. Trump seems to have rarely acted alone. An army of Yes Men loyalists are accused of chasing down and promoting hair-brained, and potentially criminal, schemes on his behalf. Some, like Rudy Giuliani, did so in the spotlight, a brownish hair product melting down his face as he spun his baseless fraud claims at a press conference, while others worked behind the scenes.
This latest indictment serves as a reminder that it’s the actions of people around Trump that have, again and again, allowed him to boast and scheme his way through life.
It wasn’t just Cabinet officials and inner-circle types. It also included David Shafer, Georgia’s former Republican Party leader, and Cathy Latham, the Coffee County, Ga., Republican Party leader and one of the alleged fake electors who signed falsified documents declaring Trump the rightful winner.
Their involvement has been widely reported but Monday’s indictment lays it all out: Trump doesn’t Trump alone. Without his enablers, he’d never have come so close to overthrowing a fair election. The enablers should be held accountable as well.
Trump still enjoys tremendous sway, able to turn what would have been career-destroying news for other politicians into a rallying call. Trump’s resilience seems like a super power but it’s not. He’s like a comic book villain enlisting a gang of half-witted henchmen.
The country may be growing tired of indictment news. Or perhaps frustrated at the slow pace of resolution. Even though the Fulton County DA is ambitiously seeking one trial for all defendants within six months, it could be much longer before the Georgia indictments make their way through court, and potentially years before we know the outcomes of all cases.
For now, we ask Americans to read the Georgia indictments, not just for their sweeping scope but for how the allegations affect the lives of regular people.
Sit with the question: would you have signed those fake elector papers? Would you have harassed and vilified an innocent poll worker to the point that she endured death threats for doing her patriotic duty?
Will you support the nomination and election of a man whose alleged criminal exploits to overthrow American democracy can be likened to the mafia thuggery? We Americans may be entertained by mobsters on HBO. They are less charming in real life. Even less so in the White House.
P.S. Maine Writer opinion- Georgia's 2020 election result is a Biden political miracle. Biden's victory over Trump was the result of voters who refused to vote for Donald Trump, all the while they completed their ballots without checking the presidential box!
IOW💨 thousands ☺of Georgia Republican voters did not support Donald Trump.
Labels: Brad Raffensperger, Fani T. Willis, Houston Chronicle
posted by Juliana L'Heureux | 7:23 AM
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