Washington, Aug 4: Former US President Donald Trump has pleaded not guilty to four federal charges stemming from his efforts to overturn the 2020 election, CNN reported. The next hearing in the Trump election interference case is set for August 28. Magistrate Judge Moxila Upadhyaya scheduled the next hearing in the election subversion case for August 28 at 10 a.m. ET. That proceeding will happen before US District Judge Tanya Chutkan. Prosecutor Thomas Windom said the government was available on all of the days that the magistrate judge offered as potential hearing days, but would prefer the earliest one. The Trump team requested August 28, the latest of the three options. āI will also note, Mr. Trump, that to the extent you are not able to attend as a result of your schedule, I have consulted with Judge Chutkan and she is willing to waive your appearance,ā Upadhyaya said. Prosecutors from special counsel Jack Smithās office did not seek pretrial detention for Donald Trump. Instead, the former president will be released on very minimal conditions of release, which include not being allowed to communicate with anyone known to be a witness in the case unless through an attorney, CNN reported.
Trump stood and raised his right hand, swearing to abide by the conditions of release and he also signed papers agreeing to the conditions. Trump was indicted on Tuesday as part of special counsel Jack Smithās investigation into Trump’s efforts to reverse the election leading up to the January 6, 2021, attack on the US Capitol. He was charged with these four counts; Conspiracy to defraud the United States, Conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding, Obstruction of and attempt to obstruct an official proceeding, and Conspiracy against rights. āHow does Mr. Trump plead?ā Magistrate Judge Moxila Upadhyaya asked Trump how he pleaded to counts 1-4 in the indictment. āNot guilty,ā Trump said. Trump was joined by his attorneys John Lauro and Todd Blanche. Another Trump attorney, Evan Corcoran, who has not formally entered an appearance in the case was seated at a row behind the defense table. The case in Washington is the third indictment filed against Trump in the last four months and the most all-encompassing, accusing him of attempting to undermine the peaceful transfer of power from one president to the next, one of the central tenets of US democracy.