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Former President Trump leaves Atlanta after surrendering in election probe

By WSBTV.com News Staff
By WSBTV.com News Staff

ATLANTA — Former President Donald Trump has surrendered at the Fulton County Jail as part of the sweeping election interference indictment against Trump and 18 of his allies.

Shortly after Trump’s plane took off from the Atlanta Airport to return to New Jersey, the Fulton County Sheriff’s Office released a statement regarding the historic events on Thursday.

The statement read in part:

“Defendant Donald J. Trump surrendered to authorities at the Fulton County Jail (GA.). Mr. Trump’s bond order and stipulations are the result of negotiations between the District Attorney’s office and his attorneys. It is expected that the remaining 7 defendants named in the Georgia election interference indictment will surrender by Friday, August 25, 2023.”

Additional security will stay in place at the Fulton County Jail and officers on site to “ensure a safe space for protestors,” but promised lawbreakers would be arrested and face consequences.

The former president faces 13 charges, including violating the Georgia RICO Act, accused of a conspiracy to overturn the 2020 election here in Georgia.

[PHOTOS: Mugshots of people booked so far in the Georgia election interference investigation]

Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis set a 12 p.m. Friday deadline for Trump and the 18 other defendants to surrender at the jail. As of Wednesday night, eleven defendants have turned themselves in, including several of Trump’s former attorneys and former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani.

Trump is expected to report to the jail at 7:30 p.m. Thursday.

LIVE UPDATES:

8:40 p.m.

“Trump Force 1″ takes off from the airport to head back to Newark, New Jersey.

8:16 p.m.

President Donald Trump speaks briefly after surrendering at Fulton County Jail, says he has every right to challenge an election, did nothing wrong.

8:11 p.m.

Former President Donald Trump arrives at the airport to leave Atlanta.

8 p.m.

ABC News confirms a mug shot was taken of the former President but has not been released yet.

7:55 p.m.

Former President Donald Trump is leaving the Fulton County Jail.

7:51 p.m.

President Donald Trump has been released from the Fulton County Jail.

7:41 p.m.

Former President Donald Trump has been booked, according to the Fulton County Jail.

7:33 p.m.

Former President Donald Trump has arrived at the Fulton County Jail.

7:14 p.m.

Former President Trump has just exited Trump Force 1 at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport and is now in his motorcade on the way to the Fulton County jail.

7:04 p.m.

Trump Force 1 has arrived at Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport. A motorcade is expected to escort him to the Fulton County Jail.

6:12 p.m.

A hearing date of Sept. 18 has been set for former Justice Department Official Jeffrey Clark, who is attempting to remove his Fulton County criminal charges to federal court. Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis must submit a written response to Clar’s notice of removal no later than Sept. 5.

5:28 p.m.

Trump’s plane has taken off from Newark Liberty International Airport.

4:29 p.m.

Trump’s motorcade has pulled into Newark Liberty International Airport. The former president is expected to touch down at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport around 6:45 p.m. Trump said on social media that he will report to the jail at 7:30 p.m.

4 p.m.

A Fulton County judge has approved District Attorney Fani Willis’ motion to hold the election interference trial starting on October 23, 2023.

The trial was expedited in response to a demand for a speedy trial request by attorney Kenneth Chesebro. Trump’s lawyers have already said they will file paperwork to sever Trump’s case from Chesebro’s. At this time, the Oct. 23 trial date only applies to Chesebro.

3:17 p.m.

We just got the mugshots for Harrison Floyd and Mark Meadows. See all of them here:

PHOTOS: Mugshots of people booked so far in the Georgia election interference investigation

2:48 p.m.

Trump announced on Truth social platform that he plans to surrender at 7:30 p.m. Thursday.

“231,000,000 Views, and still counting. The Biggest Video on Social Media, EVER, more than double the Super Bowl! But please excuse me, I have to start getting ready to head down to Atlanta, Georgia, where Murder and other Violent Crimes have reached levels never seen before, to get ARRESTED by a Radical Left, Lowlife District Attorney, Fani Willis, for A PERFECT PHONE CALL, and having the audacity to challenge a RIGGED & STOLLEN ELECTION. THE EVIDENCE IS IRREFUTABLE! ARREST TIME: 7:30 P.M.”

2:35 p.m.

Harrison Floyd, the executive director of a national campaign coalition called Black Voices for Trump, has been booked into the Fulton County Jail. He was charged with a violation of the Georgia RICO Act, conspiracy to commit solicitation of false statements and influencing witnesses.

Floyd is accused of arranging a meeting between Fulton County election worker Ruby Freeman and Trevian Kutti, a former publicist to Kanye West. Kutti then threatened Freeman and claimed she was involved in voter fraud, according to prosecutors.

Floyd is the only one of 19 defendants who didn’t have a prior bond agreement. He will remain in jail, according to the sheriff’s office.

2:25 p.m.

Former President Donald Trump has filed a counter-motion after Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis filed a motion to move the election interference trial up to October 2023.

The new filing says the former president will also file a motion to sever his case from Kenneth Chesebro’s, which led to the more aggressive timeline in the first place. Chesebro filed a motion to demand a speedy trial.

2:17 p.m.

Mark Meadows, Trump’s former top aide, has been booked into the Fulton County jail on a $100,000 bond.

2:04 p.m.

Firefighters are filling up plastic bike racks lining the streets outside the jail with water so that they can’t be moved.

1:24 p.m.

Bond has been set for $100,000 for Jeffrey Clark, who is charged with a violation of the Georgia RICO Act and criminal attempts to commit false statements and writings.

Clark is a former DOJ lawyer who was a staunch supporter of Trump’s false claims of election fraud. In December 2020, he presented colleagues with a draft letter pushing Georgia officials to convene a special legislative session on the election results, according to testimony before the U.S. House committee that investigated the Jan. 6 Capitol riot.

Clark wanted the letter sent, but Justice Department superiors refused.

1:12 p.m.

Effective immediately, media personnel have been asked to remain behind newly installed bike racks across from the jail.

“Any unauthorized person who crosses the bike racks at any time may risk being taken into custody by law enforcement,” the sheriff’s office said.

12:43 p.m.

Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis has filed a motion to move the trial date of the 19 defendants named in the election interference probe to October 23, 2023.

She initially planned to try the case in March.

According to the motion, the change is related to defendant Kenneth Chesebro’s request for a speedy trial, which he filed on Wednesday.

Chesbro is one of 18 co-defendants of former President Donald Trump.

12:37 pm.

Bond has been set at $100,000 for Mark Meadows, Trump’s former top aide. He’s been charged with violation of the Georgia RICO Act and solicitation of a violation of oath by a public officer.

Meadows is accused of helping coordinate the infamous phone call in which former President Donald Trump asked Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger to “find” him nearly 12,000 votes and flip the election results in Georgia.

11:33 a.m.

Fulton District Attorney Fani Willis has subpoenaed Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger to testify during Mark Meadows’ hearing in federal court on Monday. Meadows has asked to move his case to the federal court and asked that the federal court dismiss all charges against him in Fulton County.

Raffensperger was the recipient of a phone call from Trump organized by Meadows, who was Trump’s chief of staff, in which the former president asked Raffensperger to “find” Trump nearly 12,000 more votes in an effort to overturn election results in Georgia.

According to court documents obtained by Channel 2 Action News, Meadows’ attorneys claim that the charges stem from incidents during his tenure and as part of his service as chief of staff.

10:39 a.m.

Republican House Rep. Jim Jordan announced that the House Judiciary Committee has launched an investigation into whether Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis coordinated with federal officials.

9:30 a.m.

Trump has officially made a change to his Georgia legal team, hiring attorney Steve Sadow to replace Drew Findling. Sadow has represented a number of Georgia rappers including Gunna, Rick Ross and T.I.

Sadow issued a statement to ABC News, saying:

“The President should never have been indicted. He is innocent of all the charges brought against him. We look forward to the case being dismissed or, if necessary, an unbiased, open-minded jury finding the President not guilty. Prosecutions intended to advance or serve the ambitions and careers of political opponents of the President have no place in our justice system.”

[READ: Former President Donald Trump among 19 indicted in Georgia election interference case]

Trump’s Bond Agreement

Trump’s attorneys negotiated a $200,000 bond earlier this week. Channel 2 Action News was outside the courthouse Monday when Trump’s attorneys, Drew Findling, Marissa Goldberg and Jennifer Little, arrived.

Channel 2 investigative reporter Mark Winne was inside the building and saw them actually walk into DA’s office – and moments later we learned Trump will have to pay a $200,000 bond upon his arraignment.

Trump’s arrival to Atlanta could cause traffic issues on the road with bookings of the other defendants already causing issues for people who live near the jail.

Earlier this week, Fulton County Sheriff’s Office announced that as soon as Trump turns himself, there will be a hard lockdown of the area. Channel 2 Action News received the following statement from U.S. Secret Service’s Atlanta Field Office.

“While the U.S. Secret Service does not comment on specific protective means or methods, we are working in coordination with the Fulton County Sheriff’s Office, the Atlanta Police Department, and the Georgia State Patrol to ensure procedures are in place to preserve the safety and security of the former president, while allowing the normal legal process to be carried out. We have complete trust and confidence in all of our supporting law enforcement partners, and appreciate their continued professionalism and commitment to security.”

RELATED STORIES:

Trump did not participate at the first GOP primary debate on Wednesday night in Wisconsin. The former president instead pre-taped an interview with Tucker Carlson that aired on Twitter. During the interview, Trump spoke on why he didn’t show up to the debate.

“Do I sit there for an hour or to hours, whatever it’s going to be, and I get harassed by people that shouldn’t even be running for president? Should I do that?”

Trump’s senior campaign advisor says that Trump doesn’t plan to attend the second GOP debate either next month in California.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Former President Trump to surrender Thursday; patrols increased in neighborhoods surrounding jail

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