Washington, Jan 8 (EFE).- Former US President Donald Trump (2017-2021) sent a petition on Monday to dismiss his criminal case in the State of Georgia, appealing that he had immunity at the time of the events.
It is an argument very similar to the one his defense used in the criminal case in Washington. A hearing is scheduled for this Tuesday before a federal appeals court, considering whether to admit this plea.
The two court cases concern Trump’s efforts to interfere in the 2020 White House election results, which he lost to current President Joe Biden, a Democrat.
“The indictment in this case charges President Trump for acts that lie at the heart of his official responsibilities as President. The indictment is barred by presidential immunity and should be dismissed with prejudice,” the lawyers said in the filing with the Georgia state court.
The defense strategy is the same the lawyers have insisted on from the beginning, that Trump’s actions fall within his duties as US president.
In Georgia, Trump is accused, along with 18 accomplices, of forming a criminal association to change the outcome of the 2020 presidential election in that state.
The surprising racketeering charge is the same one that has been used in the past to prosecute mafia organizations. Prosecutors aim to bring Trump to trial in August 2024, just three months before the new presidential election.
At the heart of the case is a call Trump made to Georgia’s top election official, Brad Raffensperger, days after the 2020 presidential election, asking him to “find 11,780 votes” that would have taken the state from Biden. A call that Raffensperger recorded and then leaked.
In addition to the pressure on Raffensperger, prosecutors accuse Trump and his accomplices of trying to persuade Georgia lawmakers to ignore the popular will expressed at the ballot box and of harassing a poll worker.
The former US president could potentially face a maximum sentence of 76 and a half years in prison. Legal outcomes, however, depend on various factors and court decisions. EFE
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