Closing summary
Miami mayor Francis Suarez became the first Republican contender to drop out of the race for the party’s presidential nomination, days after failing to qualify for the first debate. Meanwhile in Georgia, a judge announced he would on 20 September consider whether two of Donald Trump’s co-defendants in the election subversion case can be tried in federal, rather than state, court. The question is emerging as one of the key arguments in the case’s early stages, with Trump’s former chief of staff Mark Meadows testifying yesterday at a hearing that will determine whether he is tried in federal court.
Here’s what else happened today:
Prosecutor Fani Willis is proposing that all 19 people she indicted for trying to overturn Georgia’s elections in 2020 – including Trump – go to trial in October. Expect much more legal wrangling over this issue in the days to come.
Tennessee lawmakers were called into special session to pass gun control measures after a mass shooting, but instead spent their time fighting amongst themselves.
Steve Scalise, the second-highest ranking Republican in the House, announced he is receiving treatment after being diagnosed with blood cancer.
Kevin McCarthy is leaning towards opening an impeachment inquiry against Joe Biden when Congress gets back to work next month, even though he lacks majority support for the effort among his own lawmakers.
Ron DeSantis is back in Florida as the Sunshine state girds for the arrival of Hurricane Idalia on its Gulf coast.
Georgia prosecutor pushes for rapid trials in election meddling case
Politico reports that Fani Willis, the Fulton county district attorney who last week charged Donald Trump and 18 other people with crimes related to trying to overturn the 2020 election results in Georgia, is asking that all defendants’ trials begin quickly, potentially as soon as October:
JUST IN: DA Fani WILLIS is asking the judge in the Trump racketeering case to fast-track all 19 of the defenants — not just Ken Chesebro — while permitting the others to file motions to sever from the larger case.https://t.co/T9r46He7dO pic.twitter.com/a1vii1Zwys
— Kyle Cheney (@kyledcheney) August 29, 2023
She cites the case of Kenneth Chesebro, a former attorney for Trump, who last week requested that his trial be resolved quickly. That led judge Scott McAfee to release a schedule which will see proceedings begin on 23 October, a schedule Willis is asking him to replicate for the other defendants.
However, Trump and some other co-defendants have signaled they have no intention of seeing their cases resolved quickly, and are pushing to have them tried in federal, rather than state, court. Thus, it seems likely at least of their attorneys will object to Willis’s motion.
Updated
