Former President Donald Trump surrendered himself Aug. 24 to authorities at the Fulton County Jail in Atlanta, Georgia at approximately 7:36 p.m. Eastern in which a mugshot was taken. He is one of 18 co-defendants charged by the District Attorney and was released on a $200,000 bond. The entire process took about 20 minutes after going through the booking process.
Mugshot taken, released on bail
The entire process took about 20 minutes, including taking the first-ever mugshot of a President of the United States. Charges listed include that of racketeering due to his challenge of the 2020 election results in Georgia.
The former president’s record showed an inmate number (P01135809), as well as other identifying information. His description is listed as a “White Male” at 6 foot 3 inches and 215 pounds with hair as “Blond or Strawberry” and eyes “Blue.”
President Trump was released on a $200,000 bond, and spoke to reporters afterward on the tarmac before flying back to Florida.
Trump responds
Trump wasted no time responding to the charges upon leaving the facility
“What has taken place here is a travesty of justice, we did nothing wrong, I did nothing wrong. And everybody knows it. I’ve never had such support. And that goes with the other ones too,” he said, referring to the three other indictments he’s facing.
He then criticized the prosecutions as a tactic of his political opponents to interfere with his 2024 run for office.
“What they’re doing is election interference. They’re trying to interfere with an election,” he said. “There’s never been anything like it in our country before. This is their way of campaigning.”
Back on Twitter
In a surprise move, after years of inactivity on the platform and having been previously banned, Trump returned to Twitter posting a defiant message.
https://t.co/MlIKklPSJT pic.twitter.com/Mcbf2xozsY
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 25, 2023
The post shows his mugshot at the Fulton County Jail. Trump didn’t need the entire 144 characters to post: “MUG SHOT — AUGUST 24, 2023,” “ELECTION INTERFERENCE,” “NEVER SURRENDER!” and “DONALDJTRUMP.COM.”
The post has been viewed over 100 million times as of Friday morning.
Indictments include Trump’s tweets
Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis, who legal experts say has herself may have broken the law and is operating outside her authority, charged Trump and 18 of his associates for what she claims is an attempt to “conspire[] and endeavor[] to conduct and participate in criminal enterprise” to overturn the results of the 2020 election. Included in the bogus 98-page indictment are several acts. Willis contends it contributed to the “furtherance” of the so-called conspiracy, such as tweets issued by Trump encouraging people to watch Georgia legislative oversight hearings on TV and a text message asking for phone numbers sent by former White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows.
Republicans seek info from DA
In a letter to Willis, Republicans on the House Judiciary Committee questioned the Fulton County DA’s rationale for charging Trump and his associates and raised several examples indicating her prosecution of the former president is “politically motivated.” Among those cited is Willis’ purported launch of a new campaign fundraising site “that highlighted [her] investigation into President Trump” several days before her office indicted the former commander-in-chief.
Also referenced are public remarks by Emily Kohrs, the forewoman of the special grand jury convened by Willis, who openly bragged during interviews with regime-approved media “about her excitement at the prospect of subpoenaing President Trump and getting to swear him in.” The letter also invoked the decision by Fulton County’s superior court clerk to prematurely release “a list of criminal charges against President Trump reportedly hours before the vote of the grand jury.”
House Republicans are demanding Willis turn over any and all documents related to her office’s “receipt and use of federal funds,” communications with the Smith and the DOJ, and communications between her office and any federal agency regarding her investigation into Trump and his associates by Sept. 7.
–Metro Voice and various wire services
