In the court case against Donald Trump in the state of Georgia, a second former lawyer for the former US president has announced that he will cooperate with the public prosecutor’s office. Kenneth Chesebro pleaded guilty to conspiracy, among other charges. Accordingly, he tried to manipulate the result in Georgia after Trump’s defeat in the 2020 presidential election.
Chesebro’s agreement with prosecutors calls for him to be sentenced to five years’ probation and a $5,000 fine. He is also expected to testify against Trump and 15 other defendants. The Washington Post calls him the “legal architect” of the plan to overturn the election results in Georgia in Trump’s favor.
The public prosecutor’s office has now secured the cooperation of two of Trump’s former lawyers. The day before, former Trump lawyer Sidney Powell also pleaded guilty. A total of three of Trump’s co-defendants have already pleaded guilty. For the ex-president, the guilty pleas are a significant legal setback, and for the public prosecutor’s office they are a great success.
The trial against Powell and Kenneth was originally scheduled to begin Monday with jury selection. This appointment is no longer valid. It was not initially clear when Trump himself would appear in court in the case. He has pleaded not guilty. The Republican presidential candidate, who is by far the leading candidate, is facing several lawsuits at the federal and state levels.
Trump was indicted in Georgia along with 18 other defendants – including Chesebro and Powell. The group is accused of attempting to overturn the outcome of the 2020 presidential election in the state. The prosecution applies a law that is actually intended to put a stop to mafia gangs and similar organizations. Trump was also indicted at the federal level in a separate case for his influence on the 2020 election.
Trump lost the election against Democrat Joe Biden, including in Georgia. But to this day he refuses to admit defeat. Instead, Trump claims he was deprived of a victory by massive voter fraud. After the 2020 election, the Republican tried in various ways to subsequently change the election results – including by putting pressure on political leaders at the federal level and in states such as Georgia.