Four individuals, including lawyer John Eastman and Georgia bail bondsman Scott Hall, have surrendered to authorities, facing accusations of conspiring with former President Donald Trump to overturn his 2020 election defeat in Georgia.
Additionally, former Georgia Republican Party Chairman David Shafer and defendant Cathy Latham turned themselves in earlier. Donald Trump is expected to surrender on Thursday, facing charges including racketeering and election interference.
While the former president has yet to enter a plea, he firmly denies wrongdoing, asserting that the charges are politically motivated. Trump’s charges stem from an attempt to overturn his defeat in the closely contested state of Georgia, with 18 of his associates also facing charges in this case.
Key figure John Eastman, who represented Trump in a lawsuit aiming to overturn election results, is seen as central to the alleged plot to interfere with the 2020 election outcomes. Eastman was released on a $100,000 bond and stated his unwavering belief in the election being stolen.
Scott Hall, the bail bondsman, faces charges related to an alleged voting systems breach. He was the first to surrender in the case, with his mugshot swiftly posted on the Fulton County website.
Former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows and former justice department official Jeffrey Clark have requested their cases to be moved to federal court. They argue that their actions were related to federal responsibilities and should be dealt with by the federal court system.
Trump, who was granted a $200,000 bond, faces criticism for not covering the legal fees of his co-defendants in the case.
-BBC-