Former President Donald J. Trump has replaced members of his legal defense team in Georgia ahead of his booking on 13 felony counts related to his alleged attempt to overturn the 2020 election results in the state. Steve Sadow, a veteran criminal defense lawyer known for his work on high-profile cases, has been added as lead counsel. This decision came shortly after one of Trump’s previous lawyers, Drew Findling, negotiated a $200,000 bond for him. Findling is expected to be let go, while another member of the team, Jennifer Little, will be retained. Trump’s main concern with his legal team was that he wanted a more “sophisticated” group of lawyers.
Supporters of Trump gathered outside the Fulton County Jail in Atlanta as he prepared to surrender and be booked on the charges. The indictment against Trump is the fourth criminal case filed against him this year, and it also targets several of his allies, including Rudy Giuliani and Mark Meadows. As of Thursday, nearly half of the 19 defendants had been booked at the jail, and various legal maneuvers were underway, including efforts to remove the cases to federal court and demands for speedy trials. The timing of any trial remains uncertain due to the ongoing pretrial proceedings.
Trump has a history of frequently changing his legal team and has cycled through many lawyers over the years. In this case, the lawyers are being paid using funds donated by Trump’s supporters following the 2020 election. Notably, Steve Sadow, the new lead counsel, is known for representing high-profile clients in criminal cases, including rappers T.I., Rick Ross, and Usher. He previously represented the owner of the Gold Club in the infamous Gold Club scandal in Atlanta.
