Former New York City mayor and personal lawyer to ex-President Donald Trump, Rudolph W. Giuliani, is set to turn himself in at the Atlanta jail where the defendants in the racketeering case against Trump and his allies are being booked. Giuliani’s bond has been set at $150,000, while Trump’s bond is set at $200,000. The trial for all 19 people indicted in the case could start no later than November 3 if a motion seeking a speedy trial filed by another defendant, lawyer Kenneth Chesebro, is granted. Giuliani and Trump face the most charges among those indicted and played significant roles in promoting false claims of election fraud.
The defendants in the case, including Chesebro, have already been fingerprinted and had their mug shots taken at the Fulton County jail. Sidney Powell, a prominent lawyer who advised Trump to fight his election loss, had her bond set at $100,000. Trump, who plans to turn himself in on Thursday, has already announced that he will “proudly be arrested.” Giuliani has been struggling financially due to mounting legal expenses, prompting Trump to plan a fundraising event to assist him. Chesebro’s filing for a speedy trial is a new twist in the case, and while it could apply to all defendants, other participants might seek to move the trial to federal court or separate their cases.
Three defendants, including former Justice Department official Jeffrey Clark and Trump’s former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows, have filed to remove the case to federal court and have also sought to block their arrest. Some defendants have already been granted bond, including Trump, with stipulations that they not intimidate witnesses or co-defendants. The timing of the trial remains uncertain due to the various strategies being pursued by the defendants and potential procedural changes.