Current:Home > NewsTrump may try to have his Georgia election interference case removed to federal court -CapitalWay
Trump may try to have his Georgia election interference case removed to federal court
View
Date:2025-04-16 15:22:33
Attorneys for former President Donald Trump have notified Georgia state court in Fulton County that they may seek to remove his election interference case to federal court, according to a court filing.
If Trump seeks removal to federal court, he would be the sixth defendant in District Attorney Fani Willis' sweeping racketeering case to do so, joining former Trump Chief of Staff Mark Meadows, former DOJ official, Jeffrey Clark, former Coffee County GOP chair Cathy Latham, current Georgia state Sen. Shawn Still, and former Georgia GOP chair David Shafer.
Meadows' motion for removal, filed on Aug. 15 by his attorney George Terwilliger and Atlanta-based attorney Joseph Englert, is based on a federal law that they argue requires the removal of criminal proceedings brought in state court to the federal court system when someone is charged for actions they allegedly took as a federal official acting "under color" of their office.
MORE: Why Trump, other Georgia defendants might try to get cases removed to federal court
Shafer, in a separate filing Thursday, accused one of the lead prosecutors in the case of an "improper communication" with him after he was charged -- and is requesting an evidentiary hearing and sanctions on the matter.
Shafer, who was one of Trump's so-called "fake electors" in the alleged election interference plot, claims in the filing that the private law firm of Fulton County special prosecutor Nathan Wade sent a mailer to his home essentially offering him representation by the firm of the prosecutor that indicted him.
The filing says the front of the brochure sent to Shafer's home "features a photo of Special Prosecutor Wade and [his partner] smiling." The inside, the filing states, directs Shafer to "please contact us today to discuss your criminal case."
The filing also says that the mailer included a letter with Shafer's name on it, written by special prosecutor Wade's partner, with the subject "IMPERSONATING A PUBLIC OFFICER"-- the very charge that Shafer faces in the indictment.
Shafer's attorney, Craig Gillen, says in the filing that the mailer is in "violation of the anti-contact provision," but claims that it is "far more egregious than a typical violation of the rule, given the fact that it constitutes a communication with a criminal defendant by the lead prosecuting attorney's law firm regarding charges in which the attorney has been responsible for bringing."
The filing asks the judge in the case to hold an evidentiary hearing on the matter.
The Fulton County district attorney's office declined to comment when contacted by ABC News.
Wade's law partner in his private firm did not immediately return a request for comment.
Trump and 18 others have pleaded not guilty to all charges in a Fulton County indictment for alleged efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election in the state of Georgia.
The former president says his actions were not illegal and that the investigation is politically motivated.
veryGood! (62748)
Related
- Apple iOS 18.2: What to know about top features, including Genmoji, AI updates
- Costco is switching up how it sells books. What it means for shoppers.
- Max Verstappen wins 3rd straight Canadian Grand Prix for 60th Formula 1 victory
- Netflix to fight woman's claim of being inspiration behind Baby Reindeer stalker character
- 'Squid Game' without subtitles? Duolingo, Netflix encourage fans to learn Korean
- Methodist church regrets Ivory Coast’s split from the union as lifting of LGBTQ ban roils Africa
- Off the Grid: Sally breaks down USA TODAY's daily crossword puzzle, Peak Performance
- Celebrities need besties too: A look at famous duos on National Best Friends Day 2024
- Have Dry, Sensitive Skin? You Need To Add These Gentle Skincare Products to Your Routine
- Trader Joe's mini cooler bags sell out fast, just like its mini totes
Ranking
- 'Most Whopper
- Airline lawyers spared religious liberty training in case about flight attendant’s abortion views
- 16 Marvel Father’s Day Gifts for the Superhero Dad in Your Life
- In the doghouse: A member of Santa Fe’s K-9 unit is the focus of an internal affairs investigation
- Dick Vitale announces he is cancer free: 'Santa Claus came early'
- If your pet eats too many cicadas, when should you see the vet?
- Norwegian wealth fund to vote against Elon Musk’s Tesla pay package
- Trump to undergo probation interview Monday, a required step before his New York sentencing
Recommendation
Skins Game to make return to Thanksgiving week with a modern look
Mets owner Steve Cohen 'focused on winning games,' not trade deadline
Movie Review: Glen Powell gives big leading man energy in ‘Hit Man’
Lainey Wilson inducted into the Grand Ole Opry by Garth Brooks, Trisha Yearwood
Could Bill Belichick, Robert Kraft reunite? Maybe in Pro Football Hall of Fame's 2026 class
Methodist church regrets Ivory Coast’s split from the union as lifting of LGBTQ ban roils Africa
Pop and power: Travis Kelce wins home run hitting contest as girlfriend Taylor Swift tours in Europe
The Taliban banned Afghan girls from school 1,000 days ago, but some brave young women refuse to accept it.