Good evening everyone, and welcome back to our special breaking news coverage, im laura coates on this a stunning night in american history. As the 45th u. S. President s criminally indicted now for the fourth time. Donald trump now accused of leading a criminal enterprise to overturn the 2020 election in georgia. Im kaitlan collins, its not just trump. 18 others have been charged alongside him in this 41 count indictment tonight, including his former Chief Of Staff, mark meadows. His former attorney, Rudy Giuliani, and the onetime mayor of new york. All 19 defendants are facing racketeering charges. I mean, the indictment states all, quote, refused to accept that trump lost and they knowingly, and willfully, joined the conspiracy to unlawfully change the outcome of the election in favor of trump. Joining me now here in d. C. Is cnns evan perez, also the washington correspondent of the atlanta journalconstitution, tea mitchell and is back as well. Tour former house judiciary special co
electoral votes from joe biden for donald trump. it is what is going to be on trial for that televised trial, and it s going to be the two faces of the republican party, we see that a lot in washington, too. the struggle between the maga group and congress and the mitch mcconnells, the mainstream, mainline republicans. you heard from david schoen earlier with our conversation, he was the council in the second impeachment trial for donald trump, but he made the comment, look, this might not stay in georgia. at least at the state level. he talked about maybe having it removed federally and i can tell, you right at the table, and i know that i saw the familiarized in rock forward, leaning into the let me let you release that tension. first of all, david is a very fine criminal defense lawyer. but he is absolutely wrong about section 14 42, the
things that they were sworn to do to uphold the state constitution and just stood up for their voters, the voters of that state. we knew there was fraud and they did the right thing, just like mike pence did. that is going to be one of the more powerful aspects of this because donald trump and his allies are really painting this picture that people are out to get him, that it is all democrats. here you have, as you pointed out, all of these important republican figures that will be called. on the other hand you have the david cheffers, the head of the georgia republican party, the kathy laces, the sean stills, you have other very active republican leaders in this state who allegedly were part of our rico conspiracy. a racketeering enterprise, instead of to steal money or goods, to steal the rightful