# What happens if Trump is indicted in Georgia? (Indicted on August 14, 2023) **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Tags:** trump\ **Created:** [February 17, 2023, 3:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-if-trump-is-indicted-in-georgia-indicted-on-august-14-2023/979928 "2023-02-17T03:14:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 66
**Author:** ![rocking\_chair](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rocking_chair/32/2918_2.png) [@rocking\_chair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rocking_chair)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2023, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-if-trump-is-indicted-in-georgia-indicted-on-august-14-2023/979928/1301 "2023-09-06T18:20:52Z")
Denying severance for Powell and chesebro to each other. Next meeting Thursday next regarding motions. And done. ---
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2023, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-if-trump-is-indicted-in-georgia-indicted-on-august-14-2023/979928/1302 "2023-09-06T18:26:25Z")
I tuned in late, so I missed pretty much everything. Did anything earth-shattering happen, or was it mostly procedural matters? ---
**Author:** ![Railer13](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/railer13/32/9742_2.png) [@Railer13](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Railer13)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2023, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-if-trump-is-indicted-in-georgia-indicted-on-august-14-2023/979928/1303 "2023-09-06T18:26:52Z")
> [@rocking\_chair](#): > > Denying severance for Powell and chesebro to each other. For us ignorant non-lawyers, what does this mean? ---
**Author:** ![rocking\_chair](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rocking_chair/32/2918_2.png) [@rocking\_chair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rocking_chair)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2023, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-if-trump-is-indicted-in-georgia-indicted-on-august-14-2023/979928/1304 "2023-09-06T18:29:18Z")
Mostly the judge listened to the arguments, tossed out scenarios that will need addressing. He is moving things along and it trying to keep to the date he established. ---
**Author:** ![Aspenglow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspenglow/32/76_2.png) [@Aspenglow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspenglow)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2023, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-if-trump-is-indicted-in-georgia-indicted-on-august-14-2023/979928/1305 "2023-09-06T18:31:04Z")
Motion to sever denied in full as to Chesebro from Powell and in part as to Powell from Chesebro. Briefing schedule as to further complicating issues pertaining to removal. Continuing weekly hearings to deal with pretrial motions as they come up, starting next Thursday afternoon. I’m glad the judge seems to be leaning away from severance. October 23rd date currently stands, though the judge is skeptical it can hold (understandably). He’s waiting for the ruling on the removal motions but according to legal experts parsing the proceeding now, it sounds like the judge is leaning toward cleaving off Powell, Chesebro and possibly Eastman but no others. ---
**Author:** ![rocking\_chair](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rocking_chair/32/2918_2.png) [@rocking\_chair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rocking_chair)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2023, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-if-trump-is-indicted-in-georgia-indicted-on-august-14-2023/979928/1306 "2023-09-06T18:31:21Z")
That if Powell and chesebro want a speedy trial they will do it together. Their lawyers tried to have it be two separate trials as according to them they were part of 2 different bits of the conspiracy, and did not interact. ---
**Author:** ![Railer13](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/railer13/32/9742_2.png) [@Railer13](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Railer13)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2023, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-if-trump-is-indicted-in-georgia-indicted-on-august-14-2023/979928/1307 "2023-09-06T18:33:06Z")
Ah, okay, thanks! ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2023, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-if-trump-is-indicted-in-georgia-indicted-on-august-14-2023/979928/1308 "2023-09-06T18:33:39Z")
Currently picturing Powell and Chesebro chained together, fleeing across the countryside. This is a nonsense, but it is amusing me. [![](https://www.filmlinc.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/defiant-1600x900-c-default.jpg) ](https://www.filmlinc.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/defiant-1600x900-c-default.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2023, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-if-trump-is-indicted-in-georgia-indicted-on-august-14-2023/979928/1309 "2023-09-06T18:34:57Z")
Good summary, @Aspenglow . Thank you! Got CNN’s talking heads on now, so at least I’ve got that too. ---
**Author:** ![rocking\_chair](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rocking_chair/32/2918_2.png) [@rocking\_chair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rocking_chair)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2023, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-if-trump-is-indicted-in-georgia-indicted-on-august-14-2023/979928/1310 "2023-09-06T18:35:47Z")
I thought chesebro’s lawyer did a good argument for a 3 clump break up. I’m sure that is something that the prosecution gamed out before deciding on one clump. I switched to msnbc as they tend to have more lawyers in the discussion. For clarity, if I remember properly the clumps were: Vote clump. Calls to find votes. Electoral college clump. Alternative electors. Machine clump. The crew that went after the voting machines. His argument was that chesebro and powell were in separate clumps. ---
**Author:** ![Eric1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/3bc359/32.png) [@Eric1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eric1)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2023, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-if-trump-is-indicted-in-georgia-indicted-on-august-14-2023/979928/1311 "2023-09-06T18:40:23Z")
I wondered about the clumping of defendents in the same group like that - interesting! ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2023, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-if-trump-is-indicted-in-georgia-indicted-on-august-14-2023/979928/1312 "2023-09-06T18:48:06Z")
> [@Aspenglow](#): > > Motion to sever denied in full as to Chesebro from Powell and in part as to Powell from Chesebro. > > Briefing schedule as to further complicating issues pertaining to removal. > > Continuing weekly hearings to deal with pretrial motions as they come up, starting next Thursday afternoon. One would never suspect you’d been a clerk. 😁 ---
**Author:** ![CoolHandCox](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/coolhandcox/32/16233_2.png) [@CoolHandCox](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CoolHandCox)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2023, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-if-trump-is-indicted-in-georgia-indicted-on-august-14-2023/979928/1313 "2023-09-06T18:53:35Z")
All this to say, as **Aspenglow** alluded to in his review (Judge skeptical of Oct trial), there won’t be any trial in October 2023. I think the Judge made that pretty clear that it would be logistically impossible and legally risky, even though the trial date still remains Oct 2023. You really need to wait on the removal/appeal of that before the prosecution would want to risk a State trial without knowing the ramifications imposed by the federal appellate court (ie, if Meadows is removed, does that mean everyone else is too?). As the Judge mentioned, if you start a State trial and get a conviction prior to that, you risk invoking double jeopardy and not being able to try them again in federal court on the same state charges (where the 11th Cir might say they should have been tried in the first place). ---
**Author:** ![Aspenglow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspenglow/32/76_2.png) [@Aspenglow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspenglow)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2023, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-if-trump-is-indicted-in-georgia-indicted-on-august-14-2023/979928/1314 "2023-09-06T19:05:00Z")
See, this drove me nuts. Chesebro’s lawyer completely ignored (as you would expect) the overarching conspiracy, the one that the RICO statute rests on: _Everything_ was done in service of stealing the election from Biden and in favor of Trump. And that’s the whole point of trying this as a RICO case. It’s not necessary that various components of the conspiracy weren’t aware of the others. Fortunately, Judge McAfee saw through the ploy. * * * > [@LSLGuy](#): > > One would never suspect you’d been a clerk. 😁 LOL, oh, back in my day, the resultant minute order would have been far more detailed. But thanks. I still get the gist. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2023, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-if-trump-is-indicted-in-georgia-indicted-on-august-14-2023/979928/1315 "2023-09-06T19:20:01Z")
Crisp. Very crisp. ---
**Author:** ![jsc1953](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5daacb/32.png) [@jsc1953](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jsc1953)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2023, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-if-trump-is-indicted-in-georgia-indicted-on-august-14-2023/979928/1316 "2023-09-06T19:59:08Z")
> [@rocking\_chair](#): > > I switched to msnbc as they tend to have more lawyers in the discussion. One of their go-to lawyers, former Solicitor General Neal Katyal, was stuck in the mud at Burning Man. I don’t think I’ll ever look at him the same way again. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Aspenglow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspenglow/32/76_2.png) [@Aspenglow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspenglow)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2023, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-if-trump-is-indicted-in-georgia-indicted-on-august-14-2023/979928/1317 "2023-09-06T20:13:55Z")
I love Neal Katyal! I was delighted when I heard he went to Burning Man! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![rocking\_chair](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rocking_chair/32/2918_2.png) [@rocking\_chair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rocking_chair)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2023, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-if-trump-is-indicted-in-georgia-indicted-on-august-14-2023/979928/1318 "2023-09-06T20:14:47Z")
Yes, each clump had one cause to rule them all. My reading of tea leaves is that the judge’s head is spinning at the thought of a 19 defendant trial. That it may come down to speedy trial and non speedy trial clumps. The federal spanner may throw it all off course. Someone was sad to miss Woodstock and tried to recreate? ---
**Author:** ![Aspenglow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspenglow/32/76_2.png) [@Aspenglow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspenglow)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2023, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-if-trump-is-indicted-in-georgia-indicted-on-august-14-2023/979928/1319 "2023-09-06T20:19:03Z")
From what I’ve heard/read, there isn’t much of a basis at all for removal to the federal courts. Listening to the cases cited this morning by the prosecution only bolstered that belief. That said, how the appeals courts rule and how quickly (including SCOTUS) will bear a lot on how these cases go forward. I don’t envy Judge McAfee. ---
**Author:** ![rocking\_chair](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rocking_chair/32/2918_2.png) [@rocking\_chair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rocking_chair)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2023, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-if-trump-is-indicted-in-georgia-indicted-on-august-14-2023/979928/1320 "2023-09-06T20:20:46Z")
Georgia is Thomas’ region in the Supreme Court. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-if-trump-is-indicted-in-georgia-indicted-on-august-14-2023/979928.md?page=65) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-if-trump-is-indicted-in-georgia-indicted-on-august-14-2023/979928.md?page=67)