Trump appeals to remove DA Fani Willis from Georgia case.
Former President Trump has taken further steps in his legal battle by filing a notice of appeal to the Georgia Court of Appeals to challenge a court decision and disqualify Georgia prosecutor Fani Willis from the case against him.
The appeals court has agreed to hear the case raised by Trump and several co-defendants, arguing that Willis should be removed from the case due to an alleged improper affair with special counsel Nathan Wade, whom she hired.
Last Monday, Mark Meadows, Rudy Giuliani, Cathy Latham, and Michael Roman joined former Georgia GOP head David Shafer in initiating the briefing processes before the court by filing their notices of appeal.
President Trump’s legal team filed the 45th president’s notice of appeal on Thursday, requiring the Fulton County Superior Court Clerk to prepare the official record in the case and send it to the Court of Appeals.
The Court of Appeals will schedule a hearing for the appeal, with the earliest possible date being August and the latest being spring 2025.
In March, Fulton County Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee ruled that Wade must be removed to prevent Willis from being disqualified in the extensive racketeering case against Trump.
Trump and his co-defendants claimed that Willis and Wade had a romantic relationship before his hiring and that she financially benefited from the affair. However, Willis and Wade denied these allegations.
Judge McAfee allowed the defense to appeal his ruling, and the appeals court announced that it would consider the defense’s case to disqualify Willis.
Trump’s lawyer Steve Sadow stated, “President Trump looks forward to presenting interlocutory arguments to the Georgia Court of Appeals as to why the case should be dismissed and Fulton County DA Willis should be disqualified for her misconduct in this unjustified, unwarranted political persecution.”
McAfee’s ruling in March acknowledged the significant appearance of impropriety in the case but highlighted that the defendants failed to prove that the District Attorney had an actual conflict of interest.
Following Wade’s resignation from his post as special prosecutor, the case has continued as the co-defendants alleged that Willis hired Wade because of their past relationship and that they would vacation together.
Willis clarified that she reimbursed Wade for her share of the expenses incurred during their travels, and McAfee ultimately found that there was not enough evidence to prove financial gain influenced Willis’ decision to prosecute the case.
In February, an evidence hearing revealed potential conflicts of interest in Willis’ prosecution of the case against Trump, prompting McAfee to order a review of the situation. McAfee emphasized that the public could question the independence of Willis’s judgment if Wade remained involved in the case.
As the legal proceedings continue, McAfee granted the defendants the opportunity to appeal his order, recognizing the importance of the case and the need for immediate review by the Georgia appeals court.
Overall, the legal battle between former President Trump and Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis continues to unfold as both sides present their arguments and evidence in court.
