Trump pleads not guilty to election charges in Georgia, waives arraignment

Former President Donald Trump on Thursday pleaded not guilty to criminal charges related to his efforts to overturn Joe Biden’s 2020 election victory in Georgia and waived his right to appear at his arraignment next week, according to a court filing.

Trump’s arraignment on 13 felony charges is scheduled on Sept. 6 at 9:30 a.m. ET in Fulton County Superior Court in Atlanta.

“Understanding my rights, I do hereby freely and voluntarily waive my right to be present at my arraignment on the Indictment and my right to have it read to me in open court,” the former president said in the court filing.

Trump is far and away the front-runner for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination. He is facing a litany of charges in three other criminal cases with trial dates that overlap with the election campaign.