Ex-Trump attorney Rudy Giuliani waives in-person Georgia arraignment, pleads not guilty in election interference case

Former President Donald Trump’s one-time attorney Rudy Giuliani pleaded not guilty Friday to 13 felony counts in the Georgia election interference case, joining his former client and 10 others charged in the sweeping indictment.

Giuliani, 79, waived his right to a formal in-person arraignment, which had been scheduled for Sept. 6, and opted to submit a written not guilty plea to the Fulton County Superior Court. 

Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis charged the former mayor Aug. 14 with violating the Peach State’s anti-racketeering law, conspiracy to commit false statements and writings, and soliciting a public officer to violate their oath. 

The 13 counts against Giuliani are the same number brought against Trump and more than any of the 17 other co-defendants in the case. 

He faces one count of violation of the Georgia RICO Act; three counts of solicitation of violation of oath by public officer; three counts of false statements and writing; two counts of conspiracy to commit false statements and writings; two counts of conspiracy to commit forgery in the first degree; one count of conspiracy to commit impersonating a public officer; and one count of conspiracy to commit filing false documents.

Giuliani has previously blasted the indictment as “an affront to American Democracy.”

The former federal prosecutor, who is reportedly facing spiraling legal fees, has launched a defense fund, for which the 77-year-old former president is hosting a $100,000-per-ticket benefit at his Bedminster, NJ, golf resort next week.

Giuliani was released on $150,000 bond after surrendering at the Fulton County jail and posing for a mugshot on Aug. 23.

Former Trump campaign lawyer Kenneth Chesebro, former campaign aide Mike Roman, Georgia lawyer Robert Cheeley, former Black Voices for Trump executive director Harrison Floyd, Republican poll watcher Scott Hall, and pastor Stephen Lee also submitted written not guilty pleas on Friday. 

Willis has proposed an Oct. 23 start date for the trial, and is seeking to try all 19 defendants at once.