The Georgia prosecutor in Donald Trump’s election racketeering case asked for the trial to start Aug. 5, which could overlap with the presidential election in November.
Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis argued that the date balances potential delays from Trump’s other trials against the need for a speedy trial. She said the final date for plea hearings would be June 21.
But Trump has strongly objected to holding a trial before the election. The former president calls the Georgia case and criminal cases pending against him a political persecution by Democrats aimed at preventing him from returning to the White House.
Trump is one of 19 co-defendants in the Georgia case charged with racketeering in trying to overturn the results of the 2020 election. Four of the co-defendants have pleaded guilty, but Trump and the rest have pleaded not guilty.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Georgia DA asks for Aug. 5 trial for Donald Trump in election case
