Atlanta, Georgia – In a high-profile legal battle, more defendants in the Trump election interference case are seeking to disqualify the Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis and her office. The latest additions to this move are David Shafer and Latham, bringing the total number of defendants seeking disqualification to five out of the remaining 15.
The motion filed by Shafer’s lawyers emphasizes that the personal relationship between Fulton County DA Fani Willis and special prosecutor Nathan Wade was the primary reason for seeking their disqualification. This comes after former Trump campaign aide Michael Roman filed a similar motion last month, alleging financial benefits obtained by Willis from her relationship with Wade. These motions have drawn attention to the legal battle, revealing that a hearing on this matter has been set for February 15, 2023, by Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee.
Alongside these allegations, Shafer has also raised concerns about the substantial financial benefits Wade has received, allegedly at the expense of the county. This has led to the request for an evidentiary hearing to obtain a complete financial picture of the gifts and benefits Wade has bestowed on District Attorney Willis.
Additionally, Shafer’s motion highlighted Willis’ remarks on the weekend of Dr. Martin Luther King’s birthday at Atlanta’s Big Bethel AME Church, raising accusations of injecting racism into the jury pool by questioning why the Black special prosecutor, Nathan Wade, was being singled out when her other two prosecutors are white. The motion claims that her intent was to infect the jury pool with unfounded allegations of racist purposes against anyone who questioned her or Wade’s conduct.
In response to these allegations, the DA’s office defended Willis’ remarks and her conduct, emphasizing that her remarks were within legal and ethical rules and guidelines. This legal battle has also seen requests for a change of venue, with Shafer suggesting a more politically balanced Georgia county for jury selection and the trial, citing threats of violence against Willis.
Furthermore, the filing also challenges the indictment’s language regarding the Republicans who cast “false Electoral College votes” for Donald Trump and Democrats being “duly elected and qualified Presidential Electors” for Joe Biden. Shafer’s attorneys argue that such language is erroneous and prejudicial and should not be used in the trial.
The legal battle in Fulton County continues to intensify, with multiple defendants raising concerns about the integrity and fairness of the trial proceedings, setting the stage for a crucial hearing and decision on the disqualification of the DA’s office from the case.