Donald Trump to present ‘irrefutable’ report on Georgia election fraud charges
Donald Trump has said he will release a detailed report on what he called “election fraud” in the state of Georgia in 2020.
The former US president announced on the social media app Truth Social that the “irrefutable” report would be “conclusive” and he would present it in New Jersey on 21 August.
He also claimed it would “exonerate” him and his associates of charges against them.
It comes after a court in Georgia charged Trump with trying to illegally overturn the 2020 election – which he lost and falsely claimed was fraudulent, claims repudiated by officials and some of his own party members.
Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis brought 13 counts against Trump and 18 of his associates, including forgery and racketeering, which is most often used to target members of organised crime groups.
Among the charges against Trump is “solicitation of violation of oath by a public officer” – that is trying to persuade someone to betray their office.
It is the fourth set of charges against the politician this year.
In a press conference, DA Willis gave Trump and all his fellow accused until noon on 25 August to surrender to police.
In his announcement, Trump argued that the prosecutors “never went after those that rigged the election” claiming that they targeted those “that fought to find the riggers”.
In another post, the 77-year-old added: “WITCH HUNT!”
Among Trump’s 18 alleged co-conspirators are some of his allies and closest advisors including his former chief of staff Mark Meadows, his former personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani, and former justice official Jeffrey Clark.
DA Willis said that she hoped to get a trial date within the next six months and planned to try all 19 defendants together.
Meanwhile, Trump’s property manager of his Mar-a-Lago resort, Carlos De Oliveira, pleaded not guilty after being charged with trying to help the former president conceal secret documents taken upon leaving office.
Mr Oliveira is also charged with lying to investigators, where he is alleged to have not seen boxes moved into the Florida estate when Trump exited the White House.