USA: Former NYC mayor surrenders to authorities over election fraud

Source: Sky News

Donald Trump's former personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani has surrendered to authorities in Georgia over accusations that he tried to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election.

The former New York City mayor was booked into Fulton County jail on Wednesday afternoon after he was charged earlier this month.

The 79-year-old had his mugshot taken and personal details entered before being released on bail, which was set at $150,000 (£118,000).

It comes after Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis charged Giuliani, Trump and 17 other defendants earlier this month over an alleged conspiracy to interfere in the election results in the state, which Joe Biden narrowly won.

The defendants are facing a total of 41 charges. All of them have been accused of racketeering, which carries a penalty of up to 20 years in prison.

DA Willis said she hoped to get a trial date within the next six months and planned to try all 19 together.

Giuliani is accused of making false statements and soliciting false testimony, conspiring to create phony paperwork and asking state lawmakers to violate their oath of office to appoint an alternate slate of pro-Trump electoral college electors.

Speaking to reporters after he was booked, Giuliani said: "I am very, very honored to be involved in this case because this case is a fight for our way of life.

"This indictment is a travesty. It's an attack on not just me, not just President Trump, not just the people in this indictment, some of whom I don't even know - this is an attack on the American people."

Trump also defended his former lawyer on the social media platform Truth Social on Wednesday, describing him as "the greatest mayor in the history of New York City".

He claimed Giuliani had been charged "because he fought for election integrity".

"The election was rigged and stolen. How sad for our country," Trump added.

Other high-profile defendants also surrendered to authorities on Wednesday, including lawyer Sidney Powell, who is accused of making false statements about the election in Georgia and helping to organize a breach of voting equipment in rural Coffee County.

Trump, who remains the front-runner for the 2024 Republican nomination, is set to turn himself in on Thursday. His bail has been set at $200,000 (£157,000).

It is Trump's fourth set of charges against him since April when he became the first former president in US history to face indictment.

They include allegations he kept national security documents at his Florida home when he left office.

The Republican denies all charges and says they are politically motivated.