The Georgia judge overseeing former President Donald Trump’s election interference case dropped two counts against Trump on Thursday, according to multiple outlets, though the former president still faces eight charges including a violation of Georgia’s racketeering act.
A trial has not been set for the election interference case. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty ... [+]
Fulton County Judge Scott McAfee ruled state prosecutors lacked the authority to bring one count of filing false documents and one count of conspiring to file false documents against Trump, CNN reported.
Trump’s initial 13 charges have now been reduced to eight, which include his racketeering charge, conspiring to impersonate a public officer and conspiring to commit forgery in the first degree.
The election interference case has been slowed by an appeal from Trump and co-defendants challenging Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis’ role as the leading prosecutor in the case.
Trump lawyer Steve Sadow in a tweet characterized the dropped charges as a win for Trump and his legal team.
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- That is how many combined charges were brought against Trump and 18 co-defendants including former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, former White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows and former Trump lawyer John Eastman. Nine counts have been dropped since the case kicked off last year, leaving Trump and the co-defendants facing a total of 32 charges.
Trump’s sentencing date in his hush money trial in New York was recently scheduled for after the election, as Judge Juan Merchan granted a delay request from the former president. Trump faces 34 felony counts in the case, which is based on a hush money payment his former attorney Michael Cohen gave to adult film star Stormy Daniels in order to cover up affair allegations prior to the 2016 election.
McAfee has now dropped charges against Trump on two separate occasions—in March, the judge dismissed three counts of solicitation of violation of oath by a public officer. The former president and the co-defendants were indicted over alleged efforts to overturn 2020 election results in Georgia, resulting in several co-defendants reaching plea agreements. Trump has pleaded not guilty to his charges and argued Willis should be dropped as the case’s top prosecutor because of a financially beneficial and romantic relationship with prosecutor Nathan Wade. Willis’ disqualification hearing is scheduled for October, potentially pushing the election interference case beyond Election Day.
Meet Trump’s 18 Co-Defendants Charged In The Georgia Election Interference Case (Forbes)