A Fulton County grand jury indicted former President Donald Trump Monday night, charging the Republican with trying to overturn the 2020 presidential election in Georgia that saw Joe Biden become the first Democrat to carry the Peach State since 1992.
Monday’s indictment was the fourth for Trump, following federal charges arising from his role in the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol and his retaining of classified government documents at his Mar-a-Lago club in Florida after leaving office. He also is accused in a New York case of paying hush money to ex-porn actress Stormy Daniels during the 2016 campaign to cover up a sexual relationship.
Unlike the other cases, Monday’s indictment was wide-ranging, naming 18 other defendants and covering 41 counts. The list of defendants includes former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, Trump’s personal lawyer; Mark Meadows, who served as the former president’s chief of staff; and former Georgia Republican Chairman David Shafer.
Charges listed on the indictment included violation of Georgia’s RICO law (Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations), submitting false documents and false statements, forgery, conspiracy to commit election fraud, and perjury. The RICO charge, which was leveled against all 19 defendants, carries a mandatory minimum prison term of five years.
While the other cases against Trump were narrowly focused on specific incidents, the 97-page Georgia indictment encompassed several episodes. The list includes then-President Trump’s infamous phone call asking Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger at the beginning of January 2021 to “find” 11,780 votes, the margin Trump needed to overcome Biden’s winning margin in Georgia.