Trump says he is innocent of all charges

Washington, sep 1(RHC) Former U.S. President Donald Trump pleaded not guilty Thursday to all 13 charges that implicate him in Georgia in a high-profile case of trying to fraudulently overturn the results of the 2020 state elections.

The former president (2017-2021) also waived the right to attend court to hear the charges against him and accept or not the guilt.

"I understand that I have the right to appear personally at my arraignment and that I have the right to have the indictment read to me in court," he said in court documents, cited by the press.

"Understanding my rights, I hereby freely and voluntarily waive my right to be present at my arraignment on the Indictment and my right to have it read to me in open court," he stressed.

Trump and 18 others face a combined 41 counts in the wide-ranging racketeering case investigated by Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis.

They are accused of joining a criminal conspiracy to keep Trump in the White House after losing to Democrat Joe Biden, the election in that southeastern state in November 2020.

The charges against the former president range from making false statements and writings to violating Georgia's Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO), a charge based on fighting organized crime.

He also faces two counts of soliciting a public official to violate his oath of office, including for a phone call to Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, a Republican, asking him to "find 11,780 votes" to help him edge Biden in that territory's election.

Trump made a media handoff at the Fulton County Jail last week, his fourth arrest this year, as he campaigns for re-election and remains favored in Republican primaries heading into 2024.

The former occupant of the Oval Office was released the same day on $200,000 bail, but he knew how to take advantage of this scenario to do business, as the photo thrown at him during the mugging was sold in various articles and raised more than $7.1 million since last August 24.

Trump pleaded not guilty to each of the criminal charges he faces in four cases: one in New York for the form of payment for the silence of an adult film actress; a federal case in Florida for his handling of classified documents and another also federal in Washington, D.C., for his efforts to subvert the 2020 elections.

In total, the 45th President of the United States faces a record 91 combined state and federal criminal charges. (Source:PL)