Ahead of his scheduled surrender in Fulton County, former President Donald Trump made significant changes to his Georgia legal representation. On Thursday, he shifted from lead counsel Drew Findling to Atlanta-based attorney Steven Sadow, renowned for his expertise in “white-collar and high-profile defense.” Notably, the decision wasn’t a reflection of Findling’s legal acumen, as per multiple sources.
Steven Sadow, after being appointed, asserted in a statement, “I’ll be representing President Trump in the Fulton County case. An indictment against the president was unwarranted. He remains blameless concerning the accusations levied at him.” Sadow emphasized the importance of an impartial legal process and expressed hope for a just outcome. He further added, “Legal actions aiming to further the aspirations of the president’s political adversaries are incompatible with our judicial standards.”
Jennifer Little is anticipated to join forces with Sadow as Trump’s legal representative in Georgia.
This reshuffling in Trump’s defense team sets the stage for an eventful evening in Atlanta, where Trump’s prime-time surrender is scheduled, presumably to ensure significant media attention.
For security reasons and probably due to Trump’s presence, the Federal Aviation Administration has imposed a temporary flight ban over Fulton County from 6:45 to 9 p.m. local time, citing “VIP” as the rationale. Furthermore, Fulton County Sheriff’s Office has announced stringent security measures around the detention facility.
Trump’s impending processing is in response to the 13 allegations claiming his attempt to invalidate Georgia’s 2020 presidential election results. Preliminary reports hint at Trump’s booking around 7 p.m. ET, with no plea expected to be made on the same day.
The proposed timeline for Trump, along with his 18 co-defendants, includes a Sept. 5 arraignment and a trial in March.
Upon his arrival at the facility, Fulton County Sheriff Pat Labat has stated Trump would likely undergo the routine process of having a mug shot taken, unless there’s an exception made. Several of Trump’s former legal advisors, including Rudy Giuliani, Sidney Powell, John Eastman, and Jenna Ellis, underwent similar procedures upon their surrender.
With a bail amount settled at $200,000 earlier on Tuesday, Trump’s booking process is anticipated to be expedited on Thursday evening.
Trump and the group of co-defendants are faced with allegations of attempting to annul Georgia’s 2020 election outcome. Fulton Country District Attorney Fani Willis has invoked Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) act charges, possibly explaining Trump’s strategic selection of Sadow for defense. Last year, Sadow had preempted Willis’ move and openly critiqued the deployment of RICO charges, which can sometimes be used to present evidence that might not typically be permissible.
The entire indictment comprises 41 charges targeting Trump, his close associates, several lawyers, and campaign staff.
