FULTON COUNTY, Ga. — Former President Donald Trump on Thursday told a judge presiding over his criminal case in Georgia that he might try to move the prosecution to federal court, WSB-TV reported.
Last month, a grand jury in Georgia indicted Trump and 18 others on racketeering and other charges following a yearslong investigation into interference in the 2020 presidential election. Several of Trump’s co-defendants have already filed to try to get their cases moved to federal court, WSB reported.
It was not immediately clear whether Trump would be successful in trying to move his case, though WSB reported that Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis would likely fight the move. Moving the trial would likely provide Trump with a friendlier jury pool than the one he’s set to face in Fulton County, an area he has disparaged over the years, according to the news station.
[ Trump indictment in Georgia: Trump asks for case to be severed from others; pleads not guilty ]
During the 2020 presidential election, President Joe Biden won Fulton County by a 47-point margin, CNN reported.
Trump has 30 days from his arraignment to file his removal request, according to WSB. He pleaded not guilty to 13 counts, including violation of Georgia’s RICO Act and three counts of solicitation of a violation of an oath by a public officer, and waived his arraignment on Aug. 31.
[ By the numbers: What are the charges Trump is facing? ]
He has denied any wrongdoing, claiming that the investigation and others delving in to his conduct are aimed at influencing the 2024 presidential election. He is currently running for the GOP presidential nomination.