Former Georgia GOP Chair David Shafer must post a $75,000 bond in the case of alleged election meddling filed against former President Donald Trump and 18 co-defendants including Mr. Shafer.
The order for Mr. Shafer was filed on Aug. 22, along with a $10,o00 bond set for a current Georgia state senator, Shawn Still.
As of midday on Aug. 22, bonds in varying amounts had been set for a half-dozen of the defendants. The highest amount, $200,000, applies to President Trump. Mr. Still, unlike the other defendants so far, is permitted to file what is known as a “signature” bond, promising to appear in court or forfeit $10,000. The other defendants are allowed to post 10 percent of the bond amount through a bail bondsman.
Ironically, a man who works as a bail bondsman, Scott Hall, has been charged in the case and was not afforded the opportunity to post a signature bond, according to court records. His bond was set at $10,000 cash or surety.
Under a standard order filed in each of the cases, the defendants must report to pretrial services every 30 days. They’re also restricted from communicating about the case with others who are directly connected to it, except through attorneys. And, specifically, President Trump is forbidden from making direct or indirect threats against anyone involved, including via social media posts of any kind.
All 19 defendants are charged with violating Georgia’s anti-racketeering law. Authorities allege that the defendants participated in a criminal enterprise to unlawfully keep President Trump, a Republican, in office after his Democrat challenger, Joe Biden, was declared the winner of the 2020 presidential election. President Trump has called the Biden presidency illegitimate. He and his supporters say they had a right to contest the election results. But Georgia authorities allege their opposition went outside the bounds of the law.
In addition to the racketeering charge, each defendant faces additional accusations.
Mr. Shafer is accused of eight charges: racketeering plus impersonating a public officer and six charges alleging false writings or false statements. Mr. Still is charged with seven counts that largely mirror Mr. Shafer’s charges.
Bond-setting agreements started being filed on Aug. 21, a week after a Fulton County grand jury voted to indict the 45th president and his allies. Then, a day later, on Aug. 22, defendants began surrendering at the jail after their bond orders were filed. President Trump has said he will be surrendering on Aug. 24, a day before the deadline for him and all other defendants to turn themselves in or face arrest.
From The Epoch Times
