Election fraud allegations
Next setback for Trump: Judge rejects request to dismiss case in Georgia
The 13 charges against Donald Trump in Georgia include violating the organized crime law, conspiracy to commit forgery, submitting false documents and incitement to violate an oath of office
© Mike Stewart / AP / DPA
Donald Trump is said to be answering for alleged election fraud in the US state of Georgia. His lawyers argued against it, among other things, on the basis of the right to freedom of speech. The responsible judge does not accept this.
The responsible judge in the election fraud case against Donald Trump in the US state of Georgia has rejected a request from the ex-president to stop the proceedings on constitutional grounds. Trump’s lawyers had argued that the First Amendment of the American Constitution applied in the case – this protects, among other things, freedom of speech in the USA. However, Judge Scott McAfee rejected this argument on Thursday, as US media consistently reported, citing court documents.
“Even key political statements are not protected from prosecution if they are suspected to be used for criminal behavior,” McAfee explained his decision. Only a jury can decide whether there was criminal intent behind the statements made by Trump and his co-defendants.
Donald Trump is said to have tried to manipulate the election results in Georgia
Trump and several others are facing charges in Georgia over their attempts to overturn the outcome of the 2020 presidential election in the state. The Republican had lost to Democrat Joe Biden at the time and tried in various ways to subsequently change the election result, including by putting pressure on political leaders at the federal level and in states such as Georgia.
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