Trump, Co-Defendants Propose Waiving Right To Speedy Trial In Georgia Election Conspiracy Case

In a surprising turn of events, former President Donald Trump along with multiple co-defendants have proposed to relinquish their right to a swift trial in the Georgia election conspiracy case, in favor of separate trials.

What Happened: Trump, his former White House chief of staff, Mark Meadows, and four other defendants have proposed to waive their right to a swift trial for the chance to be tried separately from the other defendants in the case, reported CNBC.

This move comes after the Fulton County District Attorney’s office insisted that all 19 defendants should be tried together. The proposition was made following the DA’s office suggestion that Judge Scott McAfee should require defendants seeking separate trials to waive their right to a speedy trial to prevent a “logistical quagmire”.

The judge is yet to rule on the severance requests filed by Trump, Meadows, and ten other defendants. It remains unclear whether the judge will grant any of the severances based on this waiver condition.

The accusations against Trump and the other co-defendants revolve around illegally conspiring to overturn his loss to President Joe Biden in Georgia’s 2020 election. Trump’s lawyer, Steven Sadow, confirmed the speedy trial waiver in a Wednesday filing.

Two of the defendants, attorneys Kenneth Chesebro and Sidney Powell, requested rapid trials and were granted them for late October. Trump and Meadows have not provided any indication regarding when they expect to be ready for trial.

See Also: John Fetterman Tells Progressive Democrats: ‘Get Behind Joe Biden’s Policies Or You’re Gonna Get Behind Trump’s Policies’

Why It Matters

Previously, Meadows pleaded not guilty in this case along with two other allies of Trump. This case has brought comparisons to the Watergate scandal, as Meadows’ alleged crimes are considered more severe than those of Haldeman, Nixon’s White House chief of staff. Furthermore, Trump reportedly conducted a “fact-finding mission” on Meadows earlier this year, indicating a strained relationship.

Though Meadows attempted to move the case to federal court citing immunity from state charges as a federal official, the attempt was unsuccessful. This case comes in the wake of Trump’s arrest and arraignment in New York, marking the first time a former U.S. president has been charged with criminal offenses.

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