Trump Tells Judge He May Try To Move Georgia Case To Federal Court
Former US President Donald Trump told the judge overseeing his election interference trial in Georgia that he may try to move the case to federal court.
“President Trump hereby notifies the Court that he may seek removal of his prosecution to federal court,” his lawyers said in a court filing to Judge Scott McAfee on Thursday.
Trump surrendered to law enforcement in August after a Georgia grand jury indicted him on 13 felony charges related to his effort to steal the 2020 presidential election he lost to Joe Biden. The charges include racketeering, soliciting a public officer to violate their oath of office, making false statements and conspiring to impersonate a public official, among others.
The change from state to federal court could allow Trump to argue that his charges should be dropped by invoking immunity protections for federal officials, CNN points out. It would also mean that cameras won’t be allowed to capture the court proceedings, as they are not allowed in federal court.
The change would also test the limits of Georgia’s RICO statute ― which enabled the racketeering charge against Trump ― by allowing a federal judge to field legal challenges to the state law.
Prosecutors have estimated the trial could last four months. Trump, along with 18 other defendants in the case, have all pleaded not guilty.