Georgia says Trump charges posted on court website were ‘fictitious’ as ex-president blasts ‘disgraceful leak’
‘There have been no documents filed today regarding’ special purpose grand jury, court says
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Your support makes all the difference.There was plenty of confusion regarding possible charges against former President Donald Trump in the Georgia election interference case.
Reuters reported on Monday that a document outlining the charges against Mr Trump had been posted and then removed from the Fulton County website.
Mr Trump then used the document to ask for donations from his supporters, arguing that he was being denied due process.
The Office of the Fulton County Clerk of Superior and Magistrate Courts then issued a statement on Monday afternoon saying that a “fictitious” document had been shared online.
The office said they had “learned of a fictitious document that has been circulated online and reported by various media outlets related to The Fulton County Special Purpose Grand Jury”.
“While there have been no documents filed today regarding such, all members of the media should be reminded that documents that do not bear an official case number, filing date, and the name of The Clerk of Courts, in concert, are not considered official filings and should not be treated as such,” the court said.
They added that “Media members can expect to be notified of any/all filings in real-time and will be provided access to filings via equitable communication”.
“As the official custodian of various county records, the Clerk of Courts understands the sensitivity of all court filings, especially those that are at the forefront of the national spotlight and remains committed to operating with an extreme level of efficiency, accuracy, and transparency,” the court said.
A spokesperson for the District Attorney’s office told Reuters earlier that the news agency’s report “that those charges were filed is inaccurate. Beyond that we cannot comment”.
Mr Trump ranted and raved about what he claimed was “accidentally filed” charges against him in an email to supporters asking for money amidst his ever-mounting legal woes.
In an email to supporters, Mr Trump appeared to have an opposite version of events to the court, saying: “As reported by Reuters, the Fulton County District Attorney just accidentally filed CHARGES against me in the Georgia Witch Hunt – and then DELETED them from the court website!”
“These charges were filed BEFORE the Grand Jury officially voted,” he claimed despite the statement from the court. “But don’t worry – even though they deleted the evidence, we still have a RECORD!
“The Grand Jury testimony has not even FINISHED – but it’s clear the District Attorney has already decided how this case will end. They are trying to rob me of my right to due process,” Mr Trump added.
“This is an absolute DISGRACE. These rabid left-wing prosecutors don’t care about uncovering the truth. They don’t care about administering justice or upholding the rule of law,” the former president said.
“They want me BEHIND BARS for the rest of my life as an innocent man and will do anything in their power to get their way. I still cannot believe that this is happening in the United States of America,” Mr Trump wrote to supporters.
“Our country is being run into the ground by the most incompetent and corrupt people in history. We MUST Save America – and 2024 truly is our final chance,” he claimed.
“America needs YOU more than ever before,” the president said in the email before asking for donations. “Please make a contribution to show that you will NEVER SURRENDER our country to tyranny as the Deep State thugs try to JAIL me for life.”
Trump Attorneys Drew Findling and Jennifer Little said in a statement that “the Fulton County District Attorney’s Office has once again shown that they have no respect for the integrity of the grand jury process.
“This was not a simple administrative mistake. A proposed indictment should only be in the hands of the District Attorney’s Office, yet it somehow made its way to the clerk’s office and was assigned a case number and a judge before the grand jury even deliberated.
“This is emblematic of the pervasive and glaring constitutional violations which have plagued this case from its very inception.”