Ray Smith III, an Atlanta-based attorney representing Keli Gambrill in her legal challenge of Cobb County’s electoral map, was indicted Monday on felony racketeering charges for participating in the conspiracy to overturn former President Donald Trump’s defeat in Georgia’s 2020 election.
The former president and 18 of his allies face 41 felony counts in the indictment; Smith faces 12.
Back in 2020, Smith advised the alternate GOP electors who met in a committee room at the state Capitol, cast votes for Trump and signed documents falsely claiming Trump won.
The charges are the culmination of a years-long criminal investigation launched by Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis.
Smith has been charged with multiple felonies in Fulton County, including violation of the Georgia RICO (Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations) Act; conspiracy to commit impersonating a public officer; two counts of conspiracy to commit forgery in the first degree; conspiracy to commit filing false documents; two counts of conspiracy to commit false statements and writings; two counts of false statements and writings; and three counts of solicitation of violation of oath by a public officer.
For Smith, the indictments come in the middle of his civil case against the Cobb County Commission that alleges the electoral map the board approved last year is unconstitutional. He is representing Gambrill, a sitting commissioner, who filed the suit in her capacity as a resident.
It is unclear how the indictment will — if at all — impact Smith’s ability to represent Gambrill in the ongoing lawsuit over Cobb County’s map, which has been in uncertain legal limbo for nearly a year.
“We do not know if this will impact the case here in any way,” said county spokesman Ross Cavitt.
Smith could not be reached for comment. Gambrill said she does not plan to pursue another attorney for the case at this time.
Credit: arvin.temkar@ajc.com
Credit: arvin.temkar@ajc.com
“I was not aware of the indictment nor of Ray’s involvement with that case,” Gambrill said.
It is against the State Bar of Georgia’s rules of professional conduct for an attorney “to be convicted of a felony or a misdemeanor involving moral turpitude where the underlying conduct relates to the practice of law,” according to its website. However, attorneys accused of crimes are protected from disciplinary investigations until convicted. So Smith will continue to be able to practice law in the meantime.
Cobb County Superior Court Judge Ann Harris has yet to issue a ruling on the county’s motion to dismiss the lawsuit.
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