A lawyer for former President Donald Trump’s 2020 campaign whom prosecutors called the “architect” of a plan to overturn the Republican’s defeat pleaded guilty Friday in a Georgia court.
Kenneth Chesebro admitted to a single count of conspiracy to commit the production of false documents just as jury selection in his case was taking place, becoming the second lawyer linked to Trump, 77, to plead guilty in as many days. .
On Thursday, fellow attorney Sidney Powell admitted to six misdemeanor charges in the sprawling case.
Chesebro was sentenced by Fulton County Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee to five years of probation and 100 hours of community service. He was also ordered to pay $5,000 in restitution, write a letter of apology to Georgia residents and testify in any future trials related to the case, potentially including against Trump.
Chesebro was indicted on August 14 on seven counts, including violation of the Peach State Racketeering Law, conspiracy to commit forgery, conspiracy to commit false statements and writings, conspiracy to present false documents and conspiracy to impersonate by a public official.
Prosecutors said Chesebro coordinated and executed a scheme to have 16 Georgia Republicans sign a certificate falsely declaring that Trump won the state and declaring themselves “duly elected and qualified” electors of the state.
Kenneth Chesebro speaks with Fulton County Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee during a hearing in which Chesebro accepted a plea deal, October 20, 2023 in Atlanta, Georgia.via REUTERS
He also communicated with Trump campaign lawyers and Republican leaders in other swing states won by Democrat Joe Biden to get those states to also submit false lists of electors, prosecutors alleged.
A Dec. 6, 2020, Chesebro memo obtained by the New York Times in August described the strategy as a “bold and controversial” move that the U.S. Supreme Court would “likely” reject.
“It seems feasible that the vote count can be conducted in such a way that at no time will Trump be left behind in the electoral vote count unless and until Biden can obtain a favorable decision from the Supreme Court upholding the constitutionality of the Act. Electoral Count,” reported the lawyer. he wrote, “or otherwise recognize the power of Congress (and not the president of the Senate) to count the votes.”
In an email to Trump attorney Rudy Giuliani, Chesebro outlined strategies to disrupt and delay the Jan. 6, 2021, joint session of Congress, during which electoral votes would be counted. He wrote that those strategies were “preferable to allowing the Electoral Count Act to operate according to its terms.”
Kenneth Chesebro, the second former Trump-linked lawyer to plead guilty in as many days, admitted to a single count of conspiracy in the sprawling Georgia case. Alyssa Pointer/Pool via REUTERS
The joint session was eventually disrupted for several hours when Trump supporters stormed the Capitol and vandalized the building, forcing House and Senate lawmakers to flee to their offices or secure areas.
Three of the 19 defendants in the Georgia case have pleaded guilty: Chesebro, Powell and bail bondsman Scott Hall, who pleaded guilty last month to five misdemeanors. He was sentenced to five years of probation and agreed to testify in subsequent proceedings.
The remaining 16, including Trump himself, Giuliani and former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows, have pleaded not guilty and no trial dates have been set for them.
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Chesebro is sworn in during a plea agreement hearing in front of Fulton County Senior Judge Scott McAfee at the Fulton County Courthouse October 20, 2023 in Atlanta, Georgia. Alyssa Pointer/Pool via REUTERS
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Source: vtt.edu.vn