Rudy Giuliani surrenders amid election meddling charges: Trump's lawyer faces legal proceedings

Rudy Giuliani, who served as the personal lawyer to Donald Trump, has surrendered at a detention facility in Atlanta, Georgia. This move comes as he faces accusations of assisting Mr. Trump in his efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 election in the state. Following his surrender, Giuliani was released on a bail amount of £118,000 ($150,000). He is confronted with a total of 13 charges, including racketeering. Notably, among the 19 individuals indicted in connection with the election interference case, both Giuliani and Trump hold the highest number of charges. Donald Trump, the former US President, has declared his intention to undergo booking procedures on Thursday afternoon. Although he has not yet entered a plea, he strongly refutes any wrongdoing and contends that the charges against him are politically driven. Giuliani, upon departing from Fulton County jail, expressed to reporters his sense of “honour” in participating in the legal proceedings. He framed the case as a significant battle “for our way of life” and denounced the indictment as a “travesty”. In addition to Giuliani, other individuals such as lawyer John Eastman, Georgia bail bondsman Scott Hall, and Sidney Powell – another attorney allegedly involved in undermining the 2020 election results – have also arrived in Atlanta to be processed. Noteworthy figures like former Georgia Republican Party Chairman David Shafer, Cathy Latham, Ray Smith III, and Kenneth Chesebro have also been processed at the detention centre. Prosecutors in Fulton County have mandated a deadline of Friday noon for all defendants to surrender. Subsequent court appearances will be scheduled to address the charges against them. The mugshots of those processed on Wednesday were swiftly uploaded to the Fulton County website. It is anticipated that Trump will also undergo this procedure. Just like Giuliani, the former President faces 13 charges, including racketeering and election meddling. He maintains his innocence, viewing the charges as politically motivated. In a statement posted on his social media platform, Truth Social, Trump conveyed his readiness to be arrested, highlighting his dedication to safeguarding election integrity. He emphasized that no one has championed this cause as he has. Trump has already been granted a bail of $200,000 and has been subjected to certain release conditions, including refraining from using social media to threaten co-conspirators or potential witnesses. Criticism has arisen due to Trump not covering the legal expenses of his co-defendants. Some argue that this has transcended beyond an individual matter, prompting questions about the funding of their defense. Amidst these developments, former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows, also implicated in the case, has submitted court documents requesting the transfer of his case to federal court or alternatively, seeking protection against arrest in Georgia. This filing followed the denial by Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis to postpone Mr. Meadows’ arrest. These proceedings emerge as part of a series of legal actions against Mr. Trump. He is confronted with a total of 78 charges spread across three distinct criminal cases, including an inquiry into his alleged mishandling of classified information.