Georgia charges against Trump include 161 'overt acts' of conspiracy
3 Min Read
Trump allies quickly jump to the defense to claim that prosecutors were criminalizing free speech, a similar response was seen in the case of special counsel Jack Smith's federal election charges.
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President Trump holds his face mask as he stands on the Blue Room Balcony at the White House in October 2020 (AP)
Former US president Donald Trump, alongside 18 of his allies, is facing a racketeering indictment which lists 161 "overt acts" allegedly committed as part of a conspiracy to overturn the 2020 election - 12 of those are tweets from Trump's own Twitter account.
Trump allies quickly jumped to the defense to claim that prosecutors were criminalizing free speech, a similar response was seen in the case of special counsel Jack Smith's federal election charges.
The charges however by the state of Georgia cite a tweet by Trump on December 3, 2020, that advertised an election fraud hearing convened by the state legislature and broadcast on the far-right TV network OAN.
Back in July, Trump vowed that he would continue to run for the presidential race if he gets convicted for any of the charges he faces, noting that nothing in the Constitution states that getting sentenced would stop him from campaigning.
Conservative activist Charlie Kirk tweeted after posting multiple screenshots of the 'overt acts' section of the indictment: "This is not a criminal case. It is a bid to nullify the United States Constitution."
The Georgia indictment says that advocating for robust signature verification is a conspiratorial criminal act. pic.twitter.com/wWpX6LnAEH
— Charlie Kirk (@charliekirk11) August 15, 2023
'Large, complex, detailed'
The legal reference of 'overt acts' refers to a pattern of behavior advocating here an alleged seven-state election conspiracy by 19 defendants and 30 unindicted co-conspirators.
Read more: Georgia prosecutor gives Trump to August 25 to 'voluntarily surrender'
The charges allege that Trump's 12 tweets, as well as phone calls, texts, meetings, and other activity by either him or his allies, constituted a conspiracy to undermine the election by people who were knowingly spreading lies about the election.
Trump stated that next Monday he will demonstrate a "Large, Complex, Detailed but Irrefutable REPORT" on voter fraud in Georgia which in turn would drop the charges against him.
"A Large, Complex, Detailed but Irrefutable REPORT on the Presidential Election Fraud which took place in Georgia is almost complete & will be presented by me at a major News Conference at 11:00 A.M. on Monday of next week in Bedminster, New Jersey," Trump said in a message on Truth Social.
However, Georgia's Republican Gov. Brian Kemp responded: "The 2020 election in Georgia was not stolen. For nearly three years now, anyone with evidence of fraud has failed to come forward — under oath — and prove anything in a court of law."
The 2020 election in Georgia was not stolen.
— Brian Kemp (@BrianKempGA) August 15, 2023
For nearly three years now, anyone with evidence of fraud has failed to come forward - under oath - and prove anything in a court of law. Our elections in Georgia are secure, accessible, and fair and will continue to be as long as I… pic.twitter.com/jaru2iBDo7
