ATLANTA (AP) – The Georgia Court of Appeals agreed Wednesday to review a lower court’s ruling that allowed Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis to continue the prosecution. election interference case She filed a lawsuit against former President Donald Trump.
The move is likely to delay the case, which is the second in recent days to receive favorable rulings that could delay future trials beyond the November election, when the former president is expected to be the Republican presidential nominee. This is the second time. The day before, a judge in a Florida classified documents case said: The trial date was postponed indefinitely..
Trump and several other defendants in Georgia had been trying to get Willis’ office to drop the case because of her romantic relationship. Special Prosecutor Nathan Wade A conflict of interest has arisen.Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee in March It was determined that there was no conflict of interest. That would remove Willis from the lawsuit, but he accepted President Trump’s request And the other defendants asked the Georgia Court of Appeals to appeal his sentence.
The Court of Appeals agreed on Wednesday to take up the case. If the case is ruled, the losing party could ask the Georgia Supreme Court to consider an appeal.
Steve Sadow, President Trump’s lead attorney in Georgia, said in an email that the former president should explain why the case should be dismissed and why Willis “will be disqualified for this unfair and unwarranted act of political misconduct.” He said he looks forward to submitting arguments to the appellate court on whether the decision should be made. persecution. “
A spokeswoman for Mr. Willis declined to comment on the Court of Appeal’s decision to take up the issue.
McAfee said in his order that he intends to continue working on other pretrial motions “regardless of whether the petition is granted … and even if a subsequent appeal is expedited by the Court of Appeals.” But Trump and others could ask the appellate court to put the case on hold while the case is pending.
In his March order, McAfee said prosecutors were “hampered by allegations of misconduct.” He said Willis could only stay on the case if Wade resigns and the special counsel submits his resignation hours later.
The case culminated in several tumultuous months as intimate details of Willis and Wade’s private lives were revealed due to allegations that Willis had unfairly profited from her romance with Wade. It was aired in court in mid-February..serious charges in one of them; Four criminal cases against former Republican president The shadow of the prosecutor’s love life had all but disappeared.
Trump and 18 others were indicted in August on charges that they illegally participated in a broader scheme to illegally overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election, which he narrowly lost to Democrat Joe Biden in Georgia. Ta.
All defendants were charged with violations. Georgia’s Racketeering Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Actbroad anti-extortion laws. Four people charged in the case have pleaded guilty. After reaching an agreement with prosecutors. Trump and others maintain their innocence.
Mr. Trump and other defendants argued in the appeal application McAfee argued that it erred in not firing both Willis and Wade, saying, “Giving Attorney Willis the option of simply firing Wade is confusing and contrary to Georgia law.” wrote.
The allegations against Willis first surfaced in a complaint filed in early January by Ashley Merchant, a lawyer for Michael Roman, a former Trump campaign staffer and former White House aide. The motion alleges that Willis and Wade had an inappropriate romantic relationship and that Willis profited by paying Wade handsomely for his work and paying for lavish vacations.
Willis and Wade confirmed they were dating, but said they started dating in the spring of 2022 after Wade was hired in November 2021, and that their romance ended last summer. They also testified that travel expenses were split roughly evenly, with Willis often paying expenses or reimbursing Wade in cash.
