Friday, August 25, 2023 6:55:17 PM
A visual guide to the 19 defendants in the Trump Georgia case
The mugshots and the charges they face, briefly explained.
By Li Zhou and Nicole Narea Aug 25, 2023, 2:10pm EDT
[...]
Kenneth Chesebro
Role: Former Trump attorney
Former Trump lawyer Kenneth Chesebro poses for his booking photo on August 23, 2023, in Atlanta, Georgia. Fulton County Sheriff’s Office/Getty Images
Charges: seven, including racketeering, conspiracy to commit forgery, and conspiracy to commit filing false documents
Connection to the case: Chesebro, a lawyer who has worked with conservatives in recent years, is one of the lesser-known Trump attorneys who played a major role in advancing the idea of the fake electors scheme. As part of his argument, Cheseboro suggested that multiple states could have false electors put forth votes for Trump and send them to Washington, sowing doubt around Biden’s win.
The indictment accuses him of several offenses, including conspiracy to commit filing false documents by submitting a document about the Georgia electors in court that contained false statements. His memos allegedly helped fuel the plan to secure a slate of alternative electors in each state that could be sent to Congress to cause confusion and distrust.
Jenna Ellis
Role: Former Trump attorney
Former Trump lawyer Jenna Ellis poses for her booking photo on August 23, 2023, in Atlanta, Georgia. Fulton County Sheriff’s Office/Getty Images
Charges: two, including racketeering and solicitation of violation of oath by a public officer
Connection to the case: Ellis is a conservative lawyer and a former deputy district attorney from Colorado. Ellis allegedly coordinated Georgia hearings that helped perpetuate unfounded claims of election fraud and is said to have participated in meetings and hearings related to overturning the vote in other key states as well.
The indictment accuses her of writing memos making the legal case that a vice president can intercede during the congressional session meant to certify the electoral vote and can stop that vote from happening. These memos supposedly helped form the basis of the pressure campaign Trump publicly waged to try to get his vice president, Mike Pence, to help overturn the election.
Ray Smith
Role: Former Trump 2020 campaign attorney in Georgia
Georgia lawyer Ray Smith poses for his booking photo on August 23, 2023, in Atlanta, Georgia. Fulton County Sheriff’s Office/Getty Images
Charges: 12, including racketeering, solicitation of violation of oath by a public officer, and false statements
Connection to the case: Smith was previously a staffer in the Georgia Attorney General’s office and served as Trump’s local attorney in Georgia during the 2020 campaign. Smith is named for testifying at a Georgia state Senate hearing and perpetuating election lies there, as well as participating in an election challenge in Georgia state court. Additionally, he is accused of pressuring Georgia House members to appoint alternative electors.
[...]
Jeffrey Clark
Role: former acting assistant attorney general at the DOJ
Former Justice Department official Jeffrey Clark in his August 25, 2023, Fulton County mugshot. Fulton County Sheriff’s Office/Getty Images
Charges: two, including racketeering and attempt to commit false statements and writings
Connection to the case: Clark became known during the January 6 investigation as a DOJ official said to have tried to use the chaos unfolding at the end of the Trump administration .. https://www.vox.com/trump-administration .. to catapult himself into the role of acting attorney general, and then, to use the power of that office to force key states to acknowledge Trump’s false electors, handing the election to Trump.
The indictment details Clark’s communications with acting attorney general Jeffrey Rosen and other key officials, including a false letter intended for Georgia officials that suggested the DOJ had observed concerns with the state’s election results that could have required the reevaluation of the outcome and the appointment of new electors. It suggests that he was a key part of the effort to use the government as a tool to overturn the election.
[...]
Stephen Lee
Role: Illinois pastor and Trump supporter
Lutheran pastor Stephen Cliffgard Lee poses for his booking photo at the Fulton County Jail on August 25, 2023, in Atlanta, Georgia. Fulton County Sheriff’s Office/Getty Images
Charges: five, including racketeering, attempting to influence witnesses, and conspiracy to commit solicitation of false statements and writings
Connection to the case: Before the 2020 election, Lee was a traveling pastor who specialized in ministering to law enforcement post-crisis. A Trump supporter, he went to the home of election worker Ruby Freeman, whom pro-Trump conspiracy theorists accused of helping to illegally swing the election for Biden.
When the police came to the house, Lee told them, “I’m a pastor and I’m also working with some folks who are trying to help Ruby out and also get to some truth of what’s going on.” He went on to connect with codefendant Harrison Floyd, asking for his assistance in talking to Freeman, reportedly believing that Freeman, a Black woman, would respond more positively to Floyd, a Black man.
Lee’s efforts, the indictment claims, constitute intimidation of Atlanta election officials and illegal influencing of witnesses.
https://www.vox.com/trump-investigations/2023/8/25/23845901/mugshots-trump-giuliani-ellis-georgia-case
The mugshots and the charges they face, briefly explained.
By Li Zhou and Nicole Narea Aug 25, 2023, 2:10pm EDT
[...]
Kenneth Chesebro
Role: Former Trump attorney
Former Trump lawyer Kenneth Chesebro poses for his booking photo on August 23, 2023, in Atlanta, Georgia. Fulton County Sheriff’s Office/Getty Images
Charges: seven, including racketeering, conspiracy to commit forgery, and conspiracy to commit filing false documents
Connection to the case: Chesebro, a lawyer who has worked with conservatives in recent years, is one of the lesser-known Trump attorneys who played a major role in advancing the idea of the fake electors scheme. As part of his argument, Cheseboro suggested that multiple states could have false electors put forth votes for Trump and send them to Washington, sowing doubt around Biden’s win.
The indictment accuses him of several offenses, including conspiracy to commit filing false documents by submitting a document about the Georgia electors in court that contained false statements. His memos allegedly helped fuel the plan to secure a slate of alternative electors in each state that could be sent to Congress to cause confusion and distrust.
Jenna Ellis
Role: Former Trump attorney
Former Trump lawyer Jenna Ellis poses for her booking photo on August 23, 2023, in Atlanta, Georgia. Fulton County Sheriff’s Office/Getty Images
Charges: two, including racketeering and solicitation of violation of oath by a public officer
Connection to the case: Ellis is a conservative lawyer and a former deputy district attorney from Colorado. Ellis allegedly coordinated Georgia hearings that helped perpetuate unfounded claims of election fraud and is said to have participated in meetings and hearings related to overturning the vote in other key states as well.
The indictment accuses her of writing memos making the legal case that a vice president can intercede during the congressional session meant to certify the electoral vote and can stop that vote from happening. These memos supposedly helped form the basis of the pressure campaign Trump publicly waged to try to get his vice president, Mike Pence, to help overturn the election.
Ray Smith
Role: Former Trump 2020 campaign attorney in Georgia
Georgia lawyer Ray Smith poses for his booking photo on August 23, 2023, in Atlanta, Georgia. Fulton County Sheriff’s Office/Getty Images
Charges: 12, including racketeering, solicitation of violation of oath by a public officer, and false statements
Connection to the case: Smith was previously a staffer in the Georgia Attorney General’s office and served as Trump’s local attorney in Georgia during the 2020 campaign. Smith is named for testifying at a Georgia state Senate hearing and perpetuating election lies there, as well as participating in an election challenge in Georgia state court. Additionally, he is accused of pressuring Georgia House members to appoint alternative electors.
[...]
Jeffrey Clark
Role: former acting assistant attorney general at the DOJ
Former Justice Department official Jeffrey Clark in his August 25, 2023, Fulton County mugshot. Fulton County Sheriff’s Office/Getty Images
Charges: two, including racketeering and attempt to commit false statements and writings
Connection to the case: Clark became known during the January 6 investigation as a DOJ official said to have tried to use the chaos unfolding at the end of the Trump administration .. https://www.vox.com/trump-administration .. to catapult himself into the role of acting attorney general, and then, to use the power of that office to force key states to acknowledge Trump’s false electors, handing the election to Trump.
The indictment details Clark’s communications with acting attorney general Jeffrey Rosen and other key officials, including a false letter intended for Georgia officials that suggested the DOJ had observed concerns with the state’s election results that could have required the reevaluation of the outcome and the appointment of new electors. It suggests that he was a key part of the effort to use the government as a tool to overturn the election.
[...]
Stephen Lee
Role: Illinois pastor and Trump supporter
Lutheran pastor Stephen Cliffgard Lee poses for his booking photo at the Fulton County Jail on August 25, 2023, in Atlanta, Georgia. Fulton County Sheriff’s Office/Getty Images
Charges: five, including racketeering, attempting to influence witnesses, and conspiracy to commit solicitation of false statements and writings
Connection to the case: Before the 2020 election, Lee was a traveling pastor who specialized in ministering to law enforcement post-crisis. A Trump supporter, he went to the home of election worker Ruby Freeman, whom pro-Trump conspiracy theorists accused of helping to illegally swing the election for Biden.
When the police came to the house, Lee told them, “I’m a pastor and I’m also working with some folks who are trying to help Ruby out and also get to some truth of what’s going on.” He went on to connect with codefendant Harrison Floyd, asking for his assistance in talking to Freeman, reportedly believing that Freeman, a Black woman, would respond more positively to Floyd, a Black man.
Lee’s efforts, the indictment claims, constitute intimidation of Atlanta election officials and illegal influencing of witnesses.
https://www.vox.com/trump-investigations/2023/8/25/23845901/mugshots-trump-giuliani-ellis-georgia-case
It was Plato who said, “He, O men, is the wisest, who like Socrates, knows that his wisdom is in truth worth nothing”
Discover What Traders Are Watching
Explore small cap ideas before they hit the headlines.
