Former President Donald Trump landed back in New Jersey after being promptly booked and released from Fulton County Jail over charges in the election interference case against him—marking his fourth indictment since March and the only one so far in which he had his mug shot taken.
Former U.S. President Donald Trump arrives at Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport on August 24, 2023 in Atlanta, Georgia. Trump is expected to surrender at the Fulton County jail, where he will be booked on 13 charges related to an alleged plan to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election in Georgia. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
Getty Images
Key Takeaways
- Trump flew on his private plane from New Jersey to Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson airport Thursday evening and proceeded by motorcade to the jail, where he was quickly booked and released, according to multiple reports.
- Trump briefly spoke with reporters before boarding his plane after 8 p.m. and traveling back to Newark International Airport, calling Thursday a “very sad day for America” and repeating his false claims of a “rigged” and “stolen” election.
- Trump’s booking details in the jail’s online system describe the former president as a 6’3” 215-pound man with “blonde or strawberry” hair and blue eyes.
- The arrival of the former president was met with supporters near the jail including Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.), who told the Washington Post Wednesday that she would be in attendance for Trump’s surrender.
- Trump paid Charles Shaw of Foster Bail Bonds $20,000 to post the $200,000 release bond ahead of his arrival to Fulton County jail.
- Trump announced earlier this week he would turn himself in Thursday, ahead of the Friday deadline the district attorney’s office set for him and his other 18 co-defendants to surrender, following their indictments last Monday.
- Trump insulted Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis in a Truth Social post, calling her “a Radical Left, Lowlife District Attorney,” while also repeating his claims that he did nothing wrong during his infamous January 2021 phone call when he asked Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger to “find” votes to tip the election in his favour—a key piece of evidence in Willis’ case against him.
Crucial Quote
“I have to start getting ready to head down to Atlanta, Georgia, where Murder and other Violent Crimes have reached levels never seen before, to get ARRESTED by a Radical Left, Lowlife District Attorney, Fani Willis, for A PERFECT PHONE CALL, and having the audacity to challenge a RIGGED & STOLLEN ELECTION. THE EVIDENCE IS IRREFUTABLE!” Trump wrote.
Key Background
A Fulton County grand jury indicted Trump on 13 felonies in its long-running probe of his efforts to subvert results of the 2020 presidential election in the state. Eighteen co-defendants, including former White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows and former Trump lawyers John Eastman and Rudy Giuliani, were indicted alongside Trump and also charged with racketeering. Trump’s co-defendants in the case began surrendering Tuesday, and at least nine of them have been booked and released from the Fulton County Jail. Trump agreed to a $200,000 bond as a condition of his release and is also required to abstain from threatening witnesses and his co-defendants in the case.
Tangent
Trump hired a new lawyer who specializes in racketeering cases and has a history of representing high-profile clients, Steven Sadow, on Thursday. Sadow is expected to replace attorney Drew Findling, a prominent lawyer among Atlanta’s hip-hop community who has represented Trump in the case for about a year.
What We Don’t Know
When a trial in the case could take place. Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis’s office requested an October 23 trial date on Thursday, pushing up her initial request for a March 4 trial date in response to a speedy trial request from former Trump lawyer Kenneth Chesebro. Legal experts, however, have said a trial is unlikely to take place before next year’s general election in November, given the complexity of the case and the lengthy list of defendants. Trump’s attorneys are also likely to seek a delay in proceedings.
What To Watch For
The GOP-led House Judiciary Committee has launched a probe into Willis, alleging her case against Trump “appears to be an attempt to use state criminal law to regulate the conduct of federal officials,” according to a letter committee chair Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) sent to Willis Thursday. The investigation marks the committee’s latest against Trump adversaries, including Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg and DOJ Special Counsel Jack Smith. Trump has also called on Georgia legislators to begin an impeachment inquiry into Willis, who he has viciously attacked during her office’s probe into his conduct, calling her racist and accusing her of prosecutorial misconduct.
Big Number
91. That’s the total number of charges Trump faces between his four indictments. The Manhattan District Attorney’s Office indicted him in March on 34 counts of falsifying business records in connection with an alleged hush-money scheme, marking the first-ever criminal indictment of a former or sitting U.S. president. The Justice Department has also charged him with 40 counts in its classified documents case against him and four counts in its case surrounding his role in the January 6 Capitol riots and efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election results.
This article was first published on forbes.com and all figures are in USD.
