Trump claims free speech in latest bid to toss Georgia election subversion case
NY Post
Former President Donald Trump’s legal team argued Monday that the indictment accusing him of unlawfully trying to reverse Georgia’s 2020 election results violates his First Amendment rights and should be dismissed.
The 77-year-old’s appeal comes as the Supreme Court is set to consider whether he holds immunity from federal charges in a separate case surrounding his attempts to remain in power after losing to Joe Biden.
“If there is any constant in our democratic system of governance, it is that the marketplace of ideas—not the mandates of government functionaries or partisan prosecutors—determines the scope of public debate,” attorney Steve Sadow wrote in a 19-page motion filed in Fulton County Superior Court.
“The indictment here does not merely criminalize conduct with an incidental impact on protected speech; instead, it directly targets core protected political speech and activity.”
Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis slapped Trump with a 13-count indictment in August, alleging he violated Georgia’s version of the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act with his efforts to win the Peach State.
Willis’ lengthy investigation into Trump was triggered by his leaked call to Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, in which the 45th president stressed the need to “find” 11,780 votes — enough to reverse his loss.
