Kenneth Chesebro, a lawyer associated with former President Donald Trump, has pleaded guilty in the Georgia election subversion case. Chesebro is accused, along with Trump and 18 others, of participating in a plot to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election. This plea deal is seen as another victory for Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis, who has been leading the prosecution.
Chesebro’s guilty plea came just as jury selection was beginning on Friday. As part of the plea agreement, he pleaded guilty to one felony count of conspiracy to present false documents. This charge carries a potential prison sentence of one to five years. In addition, Chesebro has agreed to testify truthfully against other defendants in the case.
Chesebro is the second former Trump lawyer to plead guilty in the Fulton County case, following Sidney Powell. He is also the third co-defendant to admit guilt in the criminal racketeering case, which alleges that Trump and his 18 co-defendants broke the law in their efforts to overturn Joe Biden’s victory in Georgia.
Previously, bail bondsman Scott Hall also reached a plea deal, agreeing to testify truthfully in the case. The truthful testimony of these three co-defendants, who have accepted their guilt, could potentially have a significant impact on the prosecution of other defendants, including Trump and Rudy Giuliani, who allegedly collaborated with Powell and Chesebro in their efforts to reverse Trump’s defeat in Georgia.
Chesebro, a Harvard University lawyer, has been identified as the mastermind behind a scheme to use fake pro-Trump electors in Georgia and other crucial states, with the goal of nullifying legitimate electoral votes for Joe Biden and triggering a decision by the House of Representatives. Chesebro had claimed that he was providing legal opinions to the Trump campaign, but he failed to prevent the inclusion of memos and other communications sent after the 2020 election as evidence in the trial. This may have influenced his decision to accept his guilt in the case.
In addition to his guilty plea for conspiracy to present false documents, Chesebro also faced charges of conspiracy to commit forgery and conspiracy to violate the RICO law against racketeering.
This latest development comes as several individuals accused of election interference in 2020 have surrendered to authorities in Fulton County. The case against Trump and his co-defendants continues to unfold, with the potential for further plea deals and significant impacts on future proceedings.