It might seem odd to some that former President Donald Trump and his co-defendants, many of whom are lawyers and served as senior government officials, were charged with racketeering regarding their alleged attempt to overturn the results of the 2020 election in Georgia.

Professor Gabriel J. Chin of the University of California, Davis School of Law. Courtesy photo Professor Gabriel J. Chin of the University of California, Davis School of Law. Courtesy photo

Racketeering charges are complex but generally speak to dishonest business dealings. Many racketeering prosecutions involve lucrative criminal enterprises, such as illegal drug operations or the Mafia.