All defendants in Georgia racketeering case, including Trump, have pleaded not guilty

Washington Desk | NPR

September 5th, 2023

The last of the 19 defendants in the Georgia election interference case pleaded not guilty on Tuesday. (Fulton County Sheriff's Office)

All 19 defendants in the Georgia election interference case have now pleaded not guilty, waiving their right to appear at arraignments that had been scheduled for Wednesday.

Former White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows pleaded not guilty on Tuesday, issuing his plea in a court filing.

Meadows followed his former boss, former President Donald Trump, who had pleaded not guilty last week. Meadows faces two felony counts; Trump faces 13.

Meadows is seeking to move his case to federal court, arguing the activities outlined in the indictment fell under his official duties as White House chief of staff. Other defendants are seeking the same move.

While there will be no in-person arraignments in Georgia’s Fulton County on Wednesday, the judge overseeing the case, Scott McAfee, has scheduled a hearing that day to consider certain defendants’ efforts to sever their charges from the larger case.

One of those seeking to sever the charges, former Trump attorney Kenneth Cheseboro, has his trial scheduled for Oct. 23.