Trump pleads not guilty in Georgia election case after waiving arraignment

Former President Donald Trump on Thursday pleaded not guilty to 13 felony charges related to his alleged attempt to overturn the 2020 election in Georgia, and he waived his right to appear in court in Fulton County next week.

Trump was scheduled to be arraigned in Georgia on Sept. 6 alongside 18 co-defendants on charges under the state's Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, known as RICO, as well as charges of making false statements and soliciting a public official to violate their oath of office, among other things.

Trump's waiver and not guilty plea filed Thursday by the former president's new attorney Steve Sadow comes after several co-defendants in the case already waived their arraignments and pleaded not guilty. 

The decision to skip the in-person arraignment prevents Trump from having to make a dramatic and potentially televised court appearance in Fulton County after his arrest last week. 

As he prepares for the 2024 election, Trump also pleaded not guilty to federal charges related to the 2020 election, as well as to other federal charges for allegedly mishandling classified documents and New York state charges for falsifying business records.

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