August 14, 2023
It’s official. Former President Donald Trump has been indicted for a fourth time. And he’s not alone. This is a RICO case.
The 98-page grand jury 41 count indictment has just been unsealed.
Here’s what we know
Former President Trump has been indicted along with 18 other co-defendants. Including names you know, Rudy Giuliani, John Eastman, Mark Meadows, Jenna Ellis, and Sidney Powell – to name a few. Plus there are 30 un-indicted co-conspirators known to the grand jury.
RICO stands for Racketeer Influence and Corrupt Organizations Act. There is a federal statute but the state of Georgia also has a RICO law that was adopted back in 1980. The state’s racketeering law, is often used to target members of an “enterprise” that has engaged in a pattern of criminal activity.
The federal racketeering law is best known for being used against members of the mafia. But federal and state racketeering laws have been used in a wide array of cases. Prosecutors often use the laws to ensure that leaders of a criminal enterprise, and not just the foot soldiers, are held accountable.
Basically what the grand jury found is that in total — this enterprise with the former President at the top, “unlawfully conspired and endeavored to conduct and participate in a criminal enterprise in Fulton County Georgia and elsewhere.
So what are those other crimes? Violation of oath by a public officer, false statements and writing, impersonating a public officer – that’s for the fake electors–, forgery in the first degree, harassment and intimidation of election workers, and conspiracy to commit election fraud just to name a few.
Actually there are 161 specific acts specifically perpetrated by each of the co-defendants that contributed to the racketeering charge.
Now here’s the thing. This is a state case. The federal government has no jurisdiction over this case. And it may look a little different than the two federal cases brought by special counsel jack smith. Of course there are no cameras allowed in federal court. But when we get to a courtroom in Georgia –since this is a state case – depending on the judge – we may actually get to have cameras in the courtroom so we may be able to watch and hear exactly what’s happening in that courtroom.
Read the Georgia indictment here.
