Former U.S. President Donald Trump and 14 co-defendants faced a legal setback when a judge rejected their attempt to dismiss a criminal election interference case in Georgia. The defendants argued that the indictment violated their First Amendment rights by encroaching on their ability to challenge the 2020 election results in the state. However, Judge Scott McAfee ruled that the speech in question was allegedly made "in furtherance of criminal activity," and therefore not protected under the First Amendment.
The judge emphasized that the charges were based on allegations of willful and knowing criminal intent, rather than solely on the truth or falsity of the defendants' political statements. McAfee stated that these issues of fact would need to be resolved by a jury, rather than dismissed outright.
Trump's attorney, Steve Sadow, expressed disagreement with the judge's ruling and indicated that the defendants would explore their options regarding the First Amendment challenges. This legal setback comes as Trump faces a total of 91 criminal charges across four separate cases, including a hush money trial set to begin in April.
The ruling in Georgia is the latest in a series of legal challenges for the former president, who is also running for president again. In a separate case in New York, a judge recently denied Trump's request to delay his upcoming trial. These legal battles continue to unfold as Trump navigates multiple legal challenges while seeking political office once again.