Atlanta, Georgia – A Georgia appeals court has agreed to review a lower court ruling that allows Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis to continue prosecuting the high-profile election interference case against former President Donald Trump. The decision to review the case is expected to cause delays, potentially pushing any trial past the November election, where Trump is anticipated to be the Republican presidential nominee.
The legal battle took a twist when Trump and other defendants in Georgia sought to have Willis removed from the case due to her romantic relationship with special prosecutor Nathan Wade. Despite their efforts, Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee found in March that there was no conflict of interest that would require Willis to step down. However, he granted a request from Trump and the other defendants to appeal his ruling to the Georgia Court of Appeals.
The intermediate appeals court has now agreed to take up the case, opening the door for potential further delays. Once the court issues a ruling, the losing party may choose to pursue an appeal with the Georgia Supreme Court. Trump’s lead attorney in Georgia, Steve Sadow, expressed the former president’s eagerness to present arguments to the appeals court to have the case dismissed and Willis disqualified for alleged misconduct in what he deemed a politically motivated prosecution.
In response to the Court of Appeals decision to review the matter, a spokesperson for Willis declined to comment. Despite the ongoing legal challenges, McAfee plans to address other pretrial motions while the appeal process unfolds. The case has been marred by allegations of impropriety, with McAfee previously stating that the prosecution was tainted by the appearance of misconduct. The situation escalated when intimate details of Willis and Wade’s personal lives were disclosed in court, overshadowing the serious charges against Trump and other defendants.
The legal drama stems from accusations that Trump and 18 others engaged in a scheme to overturn his 2020 election loss to Democrat Joe Biden in Georgia. All defendants face charges of violating Georgia’s Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) law, with four individuals already pleading guilty to various offenses.
In their appeal, Trump and his co-defendants argued that McAfee erred in allowing Willis to remain on the case despite the alleged conflict of interest with Wade. The conflict first came to light in January when a motion filed by a lawyer for a former Trump campaign staffer accused Willis of benefiting from her relationship with Wade. Despite acknowledging the relationship, Willis and Wade maintain that their romance only began after Wade was hired and ended before the case gained widespread attention.
The legal battle continues as both sides prepare to make their case before the appeals court, with the outcome likely shaping the future trajectory of the high-profile prosecution against Trump and his associates.