Former United States President Donald Trump has entered a plea of “not guilty” in the Georgia criminal case accusing him of racketeering and conspiracy related to his efforts to overturn the 2020 election. Trump’s lawyers submitted the plea in writing and informed the court that he would not appear in person for the scheduled arraignment next week. This decision is allowed under Georgia law, as reported by NBC News.
Trump had been scheduled to be arraigned on charges of felony racketeering and various conspiracy counts in the Georgia election case, part of a broader investigation by Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis. The investigation examines the actions of Trump and his allies in attempting to overturn the 2020 election results in Georgia, a key battleground state.
The criminal case against Trump in the United States Federal Court has a hearing set for March 2024. The trial date was determined by Judge Chutkan, who rejected Trump’s arguments for a two-year delay. This trial in Washington, D.C., takes place just ahead of Super Tuesday in the 2024 election season and adds to Trump’s ongoing legal challenges in New York, Florida, and Fulton County, Georgia.
Among the charges, Trump has pleaded not guilty to conspiracy to defraud the United States, conspiracy to obstruct Congress, and conspiracy against rights. These allegations center on his purported efforts to disenfranchise millions of American voters by seeking to overturn the 2020 election results and disrupt the peaceful transfer of power.
