Developments are coming fast and furious in the Georgia 2020 election RICO case that has seen Donald Trump and 18 co-defendants indicted in Fulton County.
On Monday, Trump announced his plans to turn himself in for booking at the Fulton County jail on Thursday this week, ahead of a Friday deadline at noon issued by DA Fani Willis.
Bond information has also begun to trickle out for several of the defendants - with Trump's set at $200,000 and others varying in ranges of $10,000-$100,000.
11Alive has a crew at the Fulton County Jail for updates on the scene and below we'll be tracking news as it comes in throughout the day.
Wednesday, August 23 Georgia Trump case updates
- 5:40 a.m.
Jail documents show that David Shafer and Cathy Latham have been released, but authorities have not provided the terms and amount of the bond. The bond was previously set at $75,000.
- 2:35 a.m.
David Shafer and Cathy Latham surrendered to the Fulton County jail overnight Wednesday.
Despite efforts to move his case to federal court, the former Georgia Republican Party chairman turned himself in before the Friday deadline set by the district attorney.
Latham is an accused fake elector and former GOP Coffee County Party head.
Tuesday, August 22 updates
- 10:55 p.m.
Just before 11 p.m. Tuesday night, the Fulton County Sheriff's Office shared the booking photos for John Eastman and Scott Hall, the first two co-defendants to surrender to authorities in the sweeping Georgia election interference RICO case.
John Eastman
Eastman is an attorney who allegedly helped formulate the legal theory arguing that Trump could remain in power if then-Vice President Mike Pence overturned the results of the election.
Scott Hall
Hall, Atlanta area bail bondsman was indicted in the election RICO case for his connection to the alleged breach of election systems data in Coffee County in early 2021.
- 10:03 p.m.
Donald Trump's former attorney Rudy Giuliani will likely negotiate a bond agreement with the Fulton County District Attorney's Office Wednesday, according to reporting from CNN. Giuliani is anticipated to travel to Georgia himself.
- 6:26 p.m.
Fulton County DA Fani Willis responds to Meadows' request to push back the date for when he has to turn himself in. Read her email to Meadows' attorney below.
Fani Willis response:
- 6:20 p.m.
Mark Meadows' attorney, John Moran responded to 11Alive's Zach Merchant request for comment regarding his client asking the federal court in an emergency motion Tuesday to push back the date for when he has to give himself up in Fulton County. Moran responded, "No comment at this time."
- 4:32 p.m.
MARTA routes 1 and 26 will be rerouted on Thursday ahead of former President Trump's booking at the Fulton County Jail.
- 4:22 p.m.
Bond has been set for Robert Cheeley for $50,000. A Georgia lawyer, Robert Cheeley presented video clips to legislators of election workers at the State Farm Arena in Atlanta and alleged the workers were counting votes twice or sometimes three times. He spoke to the lawmakers after Giuliani.
- 4:14 p.m.
Bond has been set for Stephen Cliffgard Lee for $75,000. Prosecutors say Cliffgard Lee, a pastor, worked with others to try to pressure Georgia election worker Ruby Freeman and her mother after Trump and his allies falsely accused them of pulling fraudulent ballots from a suitcase during the vote count. Lee allegedly knocked on Freeman’s door, frightening her and causing her to call 911 three times, prosecutors said in a court filing last year.
- 3:30 p.m.
Mark Meadows is now seeking a federal order that would prevent his needing to come to Atlanta and surrender at the Fulton County Jail, similar to what Jeffrey Clark is seeking.
- 3:15 p.m.
- 2:40 p.m.
New consent orders for bond issued for Cathy Latham ($75,000), Jenna Ellis ($100,000) and Michael Roman ($50,000).
- 2:28 p.m.
- 2:05 p.m.
CNN reporting that attorneys for Jenna Ellis, one of the Trump 2020 lawyers indicted in this case, have arrived at the DA's Office.
- 2 p.m.
Jeffrey Clark, the former DOJ official who's trying to have his case moved to federal court, had asked for a 5 p.m. decision on his secondary request for a stay against Fulton County (basically, he wants his case paused, and to not have to come to Atlanta and be booked at Fulton County Jail, until a determination on his motion to move the case to federal court).
It doesn't appear he will get one though, as an order issued by the federal judge overseeing that issue, Steve Jones, has given DA Fani Willis until 3 p.m. tomorrow to submit her response to Clark's motion.
- 12:45 p.m.
We now have confirmation on a legal wrinkle that's been somewhat up in the air: The defendants with a pre-arranged consent bond in this case will not have a first appearance hearing, the first step in the Georgia legal process. The first time we expect to see them in court will be for an arraignment in Superior Court.
- 11:47 a.m.
"My legal team and I will vigorously contest every count of the indictment in which I have been named and also every count in which others are named, for which my knowledge of the relevant facts, law, and constitutional provisions may prove helpful"
Those were the works John Eastman gave to reporters outside the Fulton County Jail on Tuesday after turning himself in.
When subsequently asked by a reporter if he still believed the 2020 election was stolen, Eastman replied "absolutely...no question."
- 11:40 a.m.
Former Georgia Republican Party chairman David Shafer has entered into a consent order for a $75,000 bond. Shafer is charged for his alleged role in organizing the "alternate" elector scheme to submit illegitimate Electoral College votes on behalf of Trump despite his loss in Georgia.
Shafer and the 15 other would-be electors have largely maintained they were acting as a legitimate contingency in the event any of Trump's lawsuits to reverse his loss succeeded.
- 11:20 a.m.
11Alive's Nick Wooten caught Tom Bever, the attorney for Shawn Still, at the courthouse and was able to ask him a couple questions about the state senator's case.
- 10:55 a.m.
Shawn Still, the Georgia state senator who was among the 16 "alternate" electors, is the fifth to enter into a consent order for bond. His bond is set at $10,000.
Still was the finance chairman for the state GOP in 2020 and served as a Georgia delegate to the Republican National Convention that year. He was elected to the Georgia state Senate in November 2022 and represents a district in Atlanta’s suburbs.
His charges include violation of RICO, impersonating a public officer, forgery in the first degree (two counts), false statements and writings (two counts) and filing false documents.
- 10:25 a.m.
John Eastman is the second of the 19 co-defendants now to turn himself in, records show.
Eastman is an attorney who allegedly helped formulate the legal theory arguing that Trump could remain in power if then-Vice President Mike Pence overturned the results of the election during a joint session of Congress where electoral votes would be counted.
- 9:15 a.m.
Atlanta area bail bondsman Scott Hall, indicted in the election RICO case for his connection to the alleged breach of election systems data in Coffee County, in south Georgia in early 2021, is the first of the 19 co-defendants to have turned himself in at the Fulton County Jail, according to booking records.
Hall's bond was set at $10,000, according to court documents. He faces seven charges: One count of violation of Georgia RICO Act, and six counts of criminal conspiracy.
Also charged in the Coffee County scheme were Trump lawyer Sidney Powell, former county GOP chair Cathy Latham and former county elections supervisor Misty Hampton.
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