Trump plans to turn himself in to face charges in Georgia election case

Washington, Aug 22 (IANS) Former US President Donald Trump said that he plans to turn himself in on Thursday to face charges in the case of election interference in Georgia state.

In a post on his Truth Social app on Monday, the 77-year-old wrote: "Can you believe it? I'll be going to Atlanta, Georgia, on Thursday to be ARRESTED by a Radical Left District Attorney, Fani Willis.

"She campaigned, and is continuing to campaign, and raise money on, this WITCH HUNT... This is in strict coordination with crooked Joe Biden's DOJ (Department of Justice)."

Trump's statement comes after Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis, who is overseeing the former president's case, has set bail at $200,000, the BBC reported.

The agreement says Trump can remain free pending trial so long as he does not attempt to threaten or intimidate witnesses.

He has denied 13 charges, including racketeering and false statements.

"The defendant shall perform no act to intimidate any person known to him or her to be a co-defendant or witness in this case or to otherwise obstruct the administration of justice," the court filing posted on Monday said.
"The above shall include, but are not limited to, posts on social media or reposts of posts made by another individual on social media.

In his post, the forme President also mentioned suggested the bail conditions indicate the District Attorney must have thought he might attempt to flee the US.

"Would I be able to take my very 'understated' airplane with the gold TRUMP affixed for all to see. Probably not, I'd be much better off flying commercial -- I'm sure nobody would recognise me!"

Willis has asked the judge to schedule arraignments, in which a defendant is formally charged and enters a guilty or not guilty plea, on September 5.

She has also proposed that the trial begin in March 2024.

When Trump does surrender, there will a "hard lockdown" of the surrounding county jail area, the BBC quoted the Fulton County Sheriff's Office as saying.

Barricades have been erected outside the court ahead of Trump's anticipated surrender.

The sheriff's office said on Monday the barricades would remain in place until Saturday.

The 19 accused have until noon local time on Friday to turn themselves in for processing.

Trump was charged last week alongside his co-defendants with attempting to subvert the will of the Georgia electorate by meddling in the state's election following his loss to Biden.

The former President was heard in a phone call pressuring Georgia's Republican Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger to "find 11,780 votes" during the state's election-counting process in 2020.

The first former or serving US President ever to be indicted, Trump faces three other criminal cases.