First Trump co-defendant enters ‘not guilty’ plea in Georgia election case

The first of former President Trump’s co-defendants in the Georgia election case entered a not guilty plea Monday.

Ray Smith, a Georgia-based attorney who worked for Trump, waived his arraignment and entered the plea in writing, court filings show.

Trump and his other co-defendants are all set to be arraigned in person Sept. 6, though more could follow Smith’s lead. The judge has already approved cameras in the courtroom, enabling the proceedings to be televised.

Smith’s filing Monday would allow him to avoid entering his plea in front of the cameras.

“It is counsel’s understanding that by filing this waiver of arraignment, prior to the arraignment date, that Mr. Smith and undersigned counsel are executed from appearing at the arraignment calendar on September 6, 2023,” Smith’s attorney wrote.

He currently faces 12 counts in the indictment, including a racketeering charge.

Many of the counts correspond to Smith’s participation in multiple Georgia legislative hearings, at which Trump’s attorneys attempted to convince state lawmakers of their baseless claims of mass election fraud.

Smith spoke to lawmakers himself and questioned some of the Trump team’s witnesses. He faces three counts of soliciting a public officer to violate their oath and two counts of making false statements in connection with the hearings.

He also faces six counts in regard to the scheme to submit a false slate of electors, including counts of forgery, two false statement charges and multiple conspiracy counts.