Trump Surrenders at Atlanta Jail on Expenses He Tried to Overturn His 2020 Election Loss

Trump Surrenders at Atlanta Jail on Expenses He Tried to Overturn His 2020 Election Loss

This reserving picture supplied by Fulton County Sheriff’s Workplace, exhibits former President Donald Trump on Thursday, Aug. 24, 2023, after he surrendered and was booked on the Fulton County Jail in Atlanta. Trump is accused by District Legal professional Fani Willis of scheming to subvert the need of Georgia voters in a determined bid to maintain Joe Biden out of the White Home. (Fulton County Sheriff’s Workplace through AP)

By Eric Tucker, Kate Brumback and Jill Colvin

A scowling Donald Trump posed for a mug shot Thursday as he surrendered inside a jail in Atlanta on fees that he illegally schemed to overturn the 2020 election in Georgia, making a historic and humbling visible underscoring the previous president’s escalating authorized troubles.
The reserving picture immediately turns into a part of the former president’s legacy as he confronts felony fees in 4 American cities whereas looking for to reclaim the White Home. His aides swiftly seized on the picture, fundraising off the primary mug shot in American historical past of a former president as consultant of the persecution they contend Trump is encountering. His opponents, in the meantime, are possible to make use of it to remind voters of risks in electing a president going through dozens of felony fees.

Trump was launched on $200,000 bond and headed again to the airport for his return flight dwelling to New Jersey, flashing a thumbs-up by means of the window of his sport utility car as his motorcade left. Unrepentant however subdued after the temporary jail go to, he once more insisted that he “did nothing mistaken” and referred to as the case accusing him of subverting election outcomes a “travesty of justice.”

“For those who problem an election, you must be capable of problem an election,” he advised reporters on the airport tarmac.

Trump’s give up to regulation enforcement authorities, the fourth time this 12 months, has by now turn into a well-recognized election-season routine in a manner that belies the unprecedented spectacle of a former president, and present candidate, being booked on felony fees. However his go to to Atlanta was notably totally different from the three previous surrenders, unfolding at night time and requiring him to go to a problem-plagued jail — somewhat than a courthouse.

And in contrast to in different cities that didn’t require him to pose for a mug shot, a reserving picture of him was taken. It depicts Trump, sporting a navy swimsuit and purple tie, angrily scowling on the digicam, his brows furrowed as he stares into the lens.

Earlier than Trump’s aircraft had crossed North Carolina, his marketing campaign was already utilizing the picture to solicit contributions on a fundraising web site. And for the primary time since Jan. 8, 2021, he made a publish on X, the web site previously often known as Twitter, issuing a fundraising plea on the platform that prevented him from utilizing his account after he helped spark the violent revolt on the U.S. Capitol.

“This mugshot will perpetually go down in historical past as a logo of America’s defiance of tyranny,” stated a Trump marketing campaign fundraising electronic mail.

He additionally referred to as into conservative TV channel Newsmax to speak about what he stated had been “a really unhappy day for our nation,.”

His jail go to created a exceptional split-screen visible throughout a 2024 Republican major contest wherein he stays the main candidate, swiping the highlight at the very least quickly from his opponents and coming in the future after a debate in Milwaukee the place eight of his main rivals sought to take advantage of Trump’s absence by attempting to face out from the pack.

Trump landed in Atlanta round 7 p.m. and was pushed to jail for the reserving course of. He provided a wave and thumbs-up as he descended the steps of his non-public aircraft.

He accomplished the method in a brisk 20 minutes, offering officers as is customary along with his bodily measurements: 6 foot 3 inches. 215 kilos. Blond or strawberry hair. And Trump, who for 4 years within the White Home reveled within the title of “Mr. President,” was given the inmate variety of P01135809.

The Fulton County prosecution is the fourth felony case towards Trump since March, when he turned the primary former president in U.S. historical past to be indicted. Since then, he is confronted federal fees in Florida and Washington, and this month he was indicted in Atlanta with 18 others — together with his ex-chief of workers, Mark Meadows, and former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani — underneath a racketeering statute usually related to gang members and arranged crime.
District Legal professional Fani Willis had given all the defendants till Friday afternoon to show themselves in on the fundamental Fulton County jail.

Simply forward of his give up, Trump employed a brand new lead legal professional for the Georgia case.

Outstanding Atlanta felony protection legal professional Steve Sadow changed one other high-profile felony protection legal professional, Drew Findling, who had represented Trump as just lately as Monday when his bond phrases have been negotiated. However by Thursday Findling was now not a part of the workforce, in line with an individual with data of the change who spoke on situation of anonymity as a result of they weren’t licensed to debate the matter publicly.

Sadow stated in an announcement that “the president ought to by no means have been indicted. He’s harmless of all the fees introduced towards him.”

Trump has repeatedly denied wrongdoing. He stated in a social media publish this week that he was being prosecuted for what he described in capital letters as a “excellent telephone name” wherein he requested the Republican secretary of state, Brad Raffensperger, to assist him “discover 11,780 votes” for him to overturn his loss within the state to Democrat Joe Biden.
The Fulton County jail the place Trump surrendered has lengthy been a troubled facility. The Justice Division final month opened a civil rights investigation into situations, citing filthy cells, violence and the demise final 12 months of a person whose physique was discovered lined in bugs in the principle jail’s psychiatric wing. Three individuals have died in Fulton County custody previously month.

He didn’t spend a lot time there. His attorneys and prosecutors had already agreed to a $200,000 bond, plus situations that embrace barring the previous president from intimidating co-defendants, witnesses or victims within the case.

Charles Shaw, CEO of Foster Bail Bonds in metro Atlanta, stated his firm put up Trump’s $200,000 bond. Shaw stated Trump paid his firm 10% — or $20,000 — which is customary for bail bondsmen to cost. Shaw stated he doesn’t know Trump, however that Trump’s Atlanta protection attorneys have an in depth enterprise relationship along with his firm.

Not like in different jurisdictions, in Fulton County, arraignments — wherein a defendant seems in courtroom for the primary time — typically occur after a defendant surrenders on the jail and completes the reserving course of, not on the identical day.

Which means Trump could must make one other journey to Georgia within the coming weeks although the Fulton County Sheriff’s Workplace has stated some arraignments within the case could occur just about if the choose permits. Or Trump’s arraignment could possibly be waived.

Tucker reported from Washington, Colvin from New York. Related Press writers Sudhin Thanawala, Jeff Amy and Jeff Martin in Atlanta and Russ Bynum in Savannah, Ga. contributed to this report.

Up to date August 25, 2023 at 5:10 a.m. ET with newest particulars.