Trump attorneys: Events before Georgia indictment ‘shocking and absurd’

Former President Trump’s attorneys on Tuesday called the events leading up to the Georgia indictment “shocking and absurd,” after a mysterious document was pulled from the court website.

The document, purporting to indict Trump on several criminal charges, appeared on the website Monday afternoon before it was quickly removed. While the information appeared to be posted in error, Trump’s attorneys were quick to zero in on the incident and claimed Fulton County, Ga., District Attorney Fani Willis (D) “decided to force through and rush” the indictment — without providing additional evidence.

“The events that have unfolded today have been shocking and absurd, starting with the leak of a presumed and premature indictment before the witnesses had testified or the grand jurors had deliberated and ending with the District Attorney being unable to offer any explanation,” a statement dated Tuesday and signed by attorneys Drew Findling, Jennifer Little and Marissa Goldberg said.

“In light of this major fumble, the Fulton County District Attorney’s Office clearly decided to force through and rush this 98-page indictment,” they continued in the statement. “This one-sided grand jury presentation relied on witnesses who harbor their own personal and political interests— some of whom ran campaigns touting their efforts against the accused and/or profited from book deals and employment opportunities as a result. 

The group added that they “look forward to a detailed review of this indictment which is undoubtedly just as flawed and unconstitutional as this entire process has been.”

Late Monday night, Willis unveiled a sprawling criminal indictment of Trump and 18 co-defendants on 41 charges that relate to a conspiracy to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election in Georgia. Trump faces 13 new charges, including charges under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act, making false statements and writings, and soliciting a public officer to violate an oath.

Willis announced the indictment at a press conference late Monday night, but she would not address questions about the mysterious document — which drew scrutiny after Reuters reported on the mysterious document, prompting the office of the court’s clerk, Che Alexander, to issue a statement calling the indictment “fictitious.” 

“I can’t tell you anything about what you refer to,” Willis said when asked about the document at the press conference.