Senior adviser to former President Donald Trump and former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi told Newsmax Friday that Democrats are "weaponizing" local district attorneys nationwide to prosecute conservative federal officials and their attorneys.
"We've been talking about this for a long time at America First Policy Institute, saying [Democrats] are weaponizing these district attorneys around the country," Bondi said during "The Chris Salcedo Show" Friday. "We're seeing it in Florida, and now we're seeing it firsthand in Georgia."
Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis obtained an indictment Monday charging Trump and 18 of his allies with felony counts, including a Georgia racketeering law violation for each.
Willis wants to try all 19 defendants simultaneously and has requested the trial start on March 4, 2024, the day before primary voters go to the polls in 14 states on Super Tuesday.
"First of all, this has no business being in state court," Bondi said. "She charged 19 defendants, including President Trump, with, I think, 98 counts. There is no way that any prosecutor in the world would think that this could go to trial and less than two years.
"It was a 98-page indictment handed down, which is absurd that she wants it to go to trial just before Super Tuesday."
Willis gave Trump and the other 18 defendants until noon on Aug. 25 to surrender at the county jail to be processed on the charges, with formal arraignments taking place the week of Sept. 5.
That schedule would force Trump, the front-runner in the 2024 GOP primary, to make two trips to Georgia for the surrender and the arraignment.
"Talk about interference with an election," Bondi said. "The timing is outrageous."
Former White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows has requested his case be moved to federal court, which could make it possible for him to use the defense that his actions were part of his duties as a federal officer and, therefore, that he is immune to prosecution.
Trump could also try the same move, but others not directly employed by the government would not have that ability and would have to stand trial in the state court.
In addition to the Georgia charges, Trump is facing a state indictment in New York and two federal indictments in Washington, D.C., and Florida.
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.
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Charles Kim, a Newsmax general assignment writer, is an award-winning journalist with more than 30 years in reporting on news and politics.
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