Georgia Court Claims Trump RICO Document Was “Fictitious”

Update (1820ET): Fulton County’s Office of the Court Clerk has issued a statement claiming that the RICO docket against former President Trump which was posted to their portal and subsequently deleted – and which was tweeted and reported on first by Reuters (along with a link to the Court’s portal), was “fictitious.”

#BREAKING: The Fulton County, GA Clerk of Courts has released a statement claiming the document outlining the charges against President Trump that was posted on their website—and subsequently DELETED after it was reported on by Reuters—is a FAKE.

WHAT IS GOING ON HERE? pic.twitter.com/jRErmhUjKX

— Nick Sortor (@nicksortor) August 14, 2023

The statement reads:

Special Purpose Grand Jury Update The Office of the Fulton County Clerk of Superior and Magistrate Courts has learned of a fictitious document that has been circulated online and reported by various media outlets related to The Fulton County Special Purpose Grand Jury.

While there have been no documents filed today regarding such, all members of the media should be reminded that documents that do not bear an official case number, filing date, and the name of The Clerk of Courts, in concert, are not considered official filings and should not be treated as such.

Media members can expect to be notified of any/all filings in real time and will be provided access to filings via equitable communication.

As the official custodian of various county records, the Clerk of Courts understands the sensitivity of all court filings, especially those that arc at the forefront of the national spotlight and remains committed to operating with an extreme level of efficiency, accuracy, and transparency.

Hmm:

Loos like case number and date to me. Hmmm pic.twitter.com/JNXcVAzPjo

— Jackie (@Jackie9900) August 14, 2023

In an earlier statement, the court said: “The Reuters report that those charges were filed is inaccurate. Beyond that we cannot comment,” said a spokesperson for the District Attorney’s office, which stated that no charges had been filed against Trump.

I hate it when fictitious legal documents get posted to my government website.

— Jeremiah (@jeremiahbnewell) August 14, 2023

*  *  *

Former President Donald Trump is apparently going to be indicted under the RICO (Racketeer Influenced And Corrupt Organizations Act) statute, according to a document which was briefly posted on the Fulton County, Georgia court’s website.

The document, dated Aug. 14 and titled “Trump” cites the case as “open.”

It was quickly taken down:

As Bloomberg noted earlier, the Fulton County case will likely echo allegations in the indictment of Trump in Washington, brought by Special Counsel Jack Smith. Trump is accused in that case of trying to overturn the 2020 election nationwide, and his actions in Georgia feature prominently in the alleged conspiracy.

Sounds legit

— KanekoaTheGreat (@KanekoaTheGreat) August 14, 2023

District Attorney Fani Willis, a Democrat who took office days before the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the US Capitol, had extensive details on Trump’s actions in Georgia when she opened her probe in February 2021. Those details included Trump’s effort to pressure Raffensperger, asking him and others to “find” just enough votes to overcome his loss, even though a recount had already been conducted.

Willis has a history of prosecuting cases – from teachers to rap music stars – under Georgia’s version of the federal Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organization act, or RICO - a statute often associated with organized crime. She may use the law against Trump and allies as well.

Meanwhile, the streets around the Fulton County courthouse in Atlanta were lined with orange barricades in anticipation of potential civil unrest over the indictment. Armed sheriff’s deputies are also patrolling the area 24/7, while vehicles from several law enforcement agencies lined the streets.

Security measures extended blocks away to the Georgia State Capitol, where the street nearest the entrance was sealed off. The gold-domed building was devoid of tourists and many staffers were working from home amid renovations. At nearby City Hall, no one was seen entering or leaving the building in the middle of a workday, though the office of Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens said city’s headquarters is “open for business.”

One sheriff’s deputy standing guard said he’d never seen such an extensive security operation in 30 years on the job. The officer said one priority will be protecting protesters who may clash with each other if Trump appears in court. -Bloomberg

According to Bloomberg, DA Fani Willis is expected to present the case to a grand jury as soon as the coming week.

Trump is accused of trying to goad Georgia officials into ‘finding’ votes for him (when, in context, Trump was implying they were hiding votes). Trump has denied wrongdoing.

Reminder:

This was the foreperson of the Grand Jury that investigated Donald Trump in Georgia: pic.twitter.com/UEZCTKKVaK

— ALX (@alx) February 22, 2023