Trump Notifies GA Judge He May Try To Have Election Case Moved To Federal Court

Former President Donald Trump filed a court motion indicating he may request his Georgia charges regarding his alleged attempt to overturn the 2020 election be moved to federal court.

The Republican frontrunner made the motion via his attorney, Steve Sadow. Trump faces multiple criminal indictments, including from Special Counsel Jack Smith, for his attempts to overturn the 2020 presidential election in the days leading up to January 6th.

“President Trump hereby notifies the Court that he may seek removal of his prosecution to federal court,” Sadow wrote in a Thursday court filing. Legal experts previously speculated that Trump’s defense team may make this move in the coming weeks.

According to federal law, the request to have the charges moved to federal court must be made within a month of his arraignment. Trump pleaded not guilty to the Georgia charges and stood for a mugshot at the end of August.

If the the legal move is successful, Trump’s charges would be overseen by a federal judge and the trial would be moved to Northern Georgia, which has a less Democratic jury pool than Fulton County. Moreover, a trial in federal court would guarantee that the proceedings will not be televised, contrary to the standard practice in Fulton County courts to allow video cameras.

In New York, Trump previously attempted to have his criminal case regarding hush money to Stormy Daniels moved to federal court but a judge rejected the motion. The former president is appealing that ruling.

Per Reuters:

A federal trial would also allow him to argue that he is immune from prosecution for actions he took as part of his official duties as president.

Several of Trump’s co-defendants, including his onetime Chief of Staff Mark Meadows, have already filed petitions to move their cases.

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