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Some might not reach trial this year, while one is set to begin in a matter of weeks. In all, Trump faces 40 felony charges in the classified documents case. U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon set a trial date of May 20, 2024, though she has signaled that it may be pushed back. The Trump campaign called the charges “fake” and asked why it took two and a half years to bring them. That case is set to be first to proceed to trial, with a judge setting jury selection for March 25.

Persons: Donald Trump, Jack Smith, Trump, cavalierly, Walt Nauta, Carlos De Oliveira, De Oliveira, Aileen Cannon, Joe Biden’s, Mike Pence, Biden, it’s, Michael Cohen, Stormy Daniels, Melania Trump, Barron, GEORGIA Trump, Rudy Giuliani, Mark Meadows, Sidney Powell, Kenneth Chesebro, Fani Willis Organizations: WASHINGTON, Trump, Pentagon, Nauta, U.S, Capitol, United, New York, White House, Electoral College Locations: Florida, Trump’s Florida, Washington, United States, U.S, New York, GEORGIA, Georgia, Fulton County

☆ Embattled Georgia prosecutor Willis will not recuse from Trump election case amid affair allegations, sources say
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-01 | by ( Zachary Cohen | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

Despite calls by some legal experts to recuse herself from the case to protect its integrity, she is not expected to do so, the sources told CNN. Still, a source familiar with the thinking inside the DA’s office told CNN they would be “mystified” if it succeeds in removing her. “I think a lot of what I’ve read is more of a distraction and not legally substantive,” James told CNN in a sit-down interview. I think it’s very unlikely that we’ll see any criminal action come out of that,” Kreis told CNN. If Willis ultimately survives the current push to disqualify her, the case would effectively be back on track, sources told CNN.

Persons: Willis, Fani Willis, Donald Trump, Nathan Wade, Trump, Mike Roman, Scott McAfee, Wade, Erik S, Norm Eisen, Obama, Wade —, Willis —, “, ” Eisen, Eisen, Willis ‘, Robert James, ” James, Donald J, Elijah Nouvelage, James, I’m, ’ ” James, Anthony Michael Kreis, –, Brian Kemp, ” Kreis, “ It’s, It’s, McAfee, Jack Smith, CNN’s Nick Valencia, Jason Morris Organizations: CNN —, CNN, Trump, White, Georgia State University, Kreis, GOP, Georgia Republicans, Republican, Georgia’s Republican Gov Locations: Georgia, CNN — Fulton County, Cobb County, Fulton County, Atlanta , Georgia, Miami, San Francisco, DeKalb County

A federal judge ruled last week that some of Georgia's congressional, state Senate and state House districts were drawn in a racially discriminatory manner, ordering the state to draw an additional Black-majority congressional district. U.S. District Judge Steve Jones, in his 516-page order, also ordered the state to draw two new Black-majority districts in Georgia's 56-member state Senate and five new Black-majority districts in its 180-member state House. Legal challenges to congressional districts are also ongoing in Arkansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, New Mexico, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and Utah. State House and Senate Republicans called for an appeal after the ruling. The judge ordered one new Black-majority congressional district in western metro Atlanta, two additional Black-majority state Senate districts in southern metro Atlanta, two additional Black-majority state House districts in and around Macon, two additional Black-majority state House districts in southern metro Atlanta and one additional Black-majority state House district in western metro Atlanta.

Persons: —, Brad Raffensperger, Chris Carr, Steve Jones, Jones, Brian Kemp, Jones ’, ” Jones, Georgia doesn't, that's Organizations: ATLANTA, District, Georgia’s Republican, Assembly, Republican Gov, U.S, Supreme, Republican, State, Republicans, Democratic, GOP Locations: — Georgia, U.S, Georgia's, Georgia, Alabama, Florida, Arkansas , Kentucky, Louisiana, New Mexico, South Carolina , Tennessee , Texas, Utah, Atlanta, Macon

Sidney Powell, a former attorney for Donald Trump, pleaded guilty Thursday morning in a sweeping racketeering case and will testify against the former president on charges that he attempted to overturn the 2020 presidential election result in Georgia. Powell in a downtown Atlanta courtroom pleaded guilty to six misdemeanor counts and was sentenced to six years probation. Powell also agreed in the recorded statement to testify against any of the remaining defendants and to hand over any documents in her possession related to the case. Powell’s guilty plea marks the second such plea in the 19-person racketeering case that District Attorney Fani Willis spent two years developing. Scott Hall, a bail bondsman, pleaded guilty last month and agreed to testify at future trials.

Persons: Sidney Powell, Donald Trump, Powell, ’, Powell’s, Brad Raffensperger, Fani Willis, Scott Hall Organizations: Republican Party, Georgia’s Republican, Trump Locations: Georgia, Atlanta, Coffee County

Section 2 of the federal law says voting district lines can’t result in discrimination against minority voters, who must be given a chance to elect candidates of their choosing. Jones preliminarily ruled in 2022 that some parts of Georgia’s redistricting plans probably violate federal law, but the trial is needed to flesh out facts for a verdict. “The Voting Rights Act was designed for cases like this one," Lakin said. “If Georgia’s electoral system is not equally open to Black voters, what would have to change?" Tyson also renewed the state's argument that Georgia's maps were drawn to protect incumbents and to prioritize Republican majorities, motives that are legal under federal law.

Persons: Alabama's, Steve Jones, Jones preliminarily, Jones, Sophia Lin Lakin, Lakin, Bryan Tyson, Tyson, Jon Ossoff, Raphael Warnock, Joe Biden's, ” Tyson, William Cooper, Cooper, ”, Abha Khanna, Khanna Organizations: ATLANTA, U.S, Supreme, District, Republican, Assembly, ”, Black, Senate Locations: Georgia, Alabama

Removing a case to federal court requires persuading a judge that the actions under scrutiny were carried out by federal officers as part of their official business. Earlier this year, Mr. Trump failed in his attempt to move a New York State criminal case against him to federal court; his argument in that case was seen as particularly tenuous. Presiding over the hearing on Mr. Meadows’s motion Monday was Judge Steve C. Jones of United States District Court in Atlanta. The judge ruled that the law was clear that “state court proceedings continue” until a decision has been reached on removal. Judge Jones is an Obama appointee to the federal bench who has been moving quickly regarding the removal question.

Persons: Trump, Steve C, Jones, Judge Jones, Meadows’s, Scott McAfee, Judge McAfee, Brian Kemp, Willis, Obama Organizations: New York State, United States, Court, Fulton County Superior Court, Republican, Federalist Society Locations: New, Atlanta, Fulton, Fulton County

☆ A moment of truth is fast approaching for both Trump and the DOJ
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-13 | by ( Stephen Collinson | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

She then rebuffed White House condemnations of her comments by insisting she was joking. Smith has also issued a flurry of grand jury subpoenas since Thanksgiving, including to ex-Trump adviser Stephen Miller and two former White legal counsels. A judge on Monday formally dismissed Trump’s case challenging the Mar-a-Lago evidence collection and in which she had appointed a special master. If a moment of truth is approaching for Trump, the same can be said of Garland and the DOJ. Trump has already tried to use claims that justice is being weaponized against him as rocket fuel for his 2024 presidential bid.

☆ Live Updates: Georgia Voters Head to Polls for Final Say on Warnock vs. Walker
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-06 | by ( Jonathan Weisman | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +11 min

Mr. Warnock consolidated Democratic voters, while Mr. Walker struggled to rally his party behind him. Mr. Walker was wrapping up a campaign that appears to have failed to consolidate the disparate wings of his party. Image Mr. Warnock spoke on Monday in Atlanta at the SWAG Shop barbershop with Killer Mike, the rapper. Credit... Nicole Craine for The New York TimesMr. Kemp kept some distance from Mr. Walker during the general election. Mr. Mathews said he planned to cast his ballot Tuesday for Mr. Walker.

☆ Supreme Court Rejects Lindsey Graham’s Bid to Avoid Georgia Grand Jury Testimony
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-01 | by ( Jess Bravin | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +1 min

Sen. Lindsey Graham (R., S.C.) says his phone calls to Georgia’s secretary of state were privileged legislative activity. WASHINGTON—The Supreme Court Tuesday denied Sen. Lindsey Graham ’s emergency plea to avoid cooperation with a Georgia grand jury investigating possible pro-Trump interference in the state’s 2020 vote count, but reiterated lower-court rulings that the South Carolina Republican could assert a privilege to specific questions he argues involve legislative activity. The Fulton County district attorney, Fani Willis , had a special-purpose grand jury convened to investigate alleged efforts to subvert President Biden’s victory by pressuring state officials to falsify the outcome in Mr. Trump’s favor. Among other matters, Ms. Willis, a Democrat, is investigating at least two phone calls Mr. Graham made to Brad Raffensperger , Georgia’s Republican secretary of state and chief elections official, after the November 2020 election.

☆ Fact Check-No evidence Stacey Abrams lobbied for MLB All-Star Game to be moved out of Atlanta
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-19 | by ( Reuters Fact Check | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

Georgia Republicans, including Kemp, have tied Abrams to the MLB’s decision, but there is no evidence that Abrams advocated for the All-Star Game to be moved out of the state. Abrams publicly expressed her disagreement with pulling the game from Georgia before and after the MLB’s decision. Following the passage of the bill, the MLB decided to relocate the All-Star Game out of Cobb County in Atlanta on April 2, 2021 (here). Kemp said in a July 2021 campaign ad titled “Not Backing Down” that “Abrams and the liberal mob forced the All-Star Game to move” (here). There is no evidence that Stacey Abrams lobbied for the 2021 MLB All-Star Game to be relocated or that she supported the boycott in Atlanta.

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