ATLANTA — Donald Trump and 18 other associates were charged Monday in Georgia as part of a sweeping indictment alleging they schemed to illegally overturn his 2020 election loss and stop the peaceful transition of power.
The indictment, brought by Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis, follows an investigation that lasted more than two years and marks the fourth criminal case brought against the former president.
However, listed among the 19 individuals named on the indictment is one that folks likely are not that familiar with: Harrison Floyd.
Who is Harrison Floyd?
Also known as Willie Lewis Floyd III, he served as director of Black Voices for Trump, a group aimed at increasing the former president's support among Black voters.
In December 2021, according to prosecutors Floyd was asked to arrange a meeting to discuss an “immunity deal” with Ruby Freeman, a Fulton County election worker whom Trump and his allies falsely accused of pulling fraudulent ballots from a suitcase.
Willis said Floyd arranged for Trevian Kutti — whom Willis described as a “purported publicist” based in Chicago — to meet with Freeman. The prosecutor previously sought Kutti's testimony.
Kutti, who reportedly worked for Kanye West at one point, told Freeman that “an armed squad" of federal officers would approach her and her family within 48 hours and that Kutti had access to “very high-profile people that can make particular things happen in order to defend yourself and your family," according to Willis' court filing.
The district attorney cited video footage as evidence of those statements.
Kutti described Floyd as a “Black progressive crisis manager, very high level, with authoritative powers to get you protection that you need," Willis said.
During a subsequent phone call with Kutti and Floyd, Freeman was pressured to reveal information under threat of imprisonment, Willis said.
How does Harrison Floyd fit into the indictment?
Floyd is charged with three counts of the indictment: Violation of the Georgia RICO Act, conspiracy to commit solicitation of false statements and writings; and influencing witnesses.
He appears in Act 89, Act 115, Act 116, Act 119, Act 120, Act 121, Act 122 and Act 127 of the 161 acts cited for Count 1, the overarching violation of RICO.
He also specifically appears in Count 30 of the indictment, the conspiracy to commit solicitation of false statements and writings.
According to the indictment, Floyd, Kutti and another indicted individual named Stephen Lee "unlawfully conspired to solicit, request and importune Ruby Freeman" on Jan. 4, 2021 "to engage in conduct constituting the felony offense of false statements and writings... by knowingly and willfully making false statement and representation concerning events at State Farm Arena in the November 3, 2020 presidential election in Georgia."
He is charged in Count 31 with influencing witnesses.
That charge alleges on Jan. 4, 2021 they "knowingly and unlawfully engaged in misleading conduct toward Ruby Freeman... by stating that she needed protection and by purporting to offer her help, with intent to influence her testimony in an official proceeding in Fulton County, Georgia, concerning events at State Farm Arena in the November 3, 2020 presidential election in Georgia."