Lawyers representing former President Donald J. Trump and eight others in a Georgia election interference case are seeking to appeal a ruling allowing prosecutor Fani T. Willis to remain on the case despite allegations of a conflict of interest due to her romantic relationship with the special prosecutor she hired. The presiding judge had granted permission for the appeal, but approval from the Georgia Court of Appeals is also required. The defendants argue that the case should be dismissed or that Willis and her office should be disqualified from involvement.
The filing emphasizes the claim that the criminal case should be dismissed and that Willis should not be allowed to continue due to the relationship between her and the special prosecutor. Judge Scott McAfee had previously found only an “appearance of impropriety” rather than an actual conflict of interest, leading to the resignation of the special prosecutor involved. The defense argues that Willis should also be removed from the case, citing legal errors in the judge’s decision. The drama surrounding the case has overshadowed the criminal charges against Trump and his allies, with some defendants already taking plea deals.
The Georgia case is one of four criminal cases facing Trump, all of which his lawyers are trying to delay as the November general election approaches. Despite the legal maneuvers, a trial date has been set for April 15 in Manhattan for one of the cases, involving charges related to falsifying business records to conceal a potential scandal. The other federal criminal cases do not have trial dates set yet. Harrison Floyd, another co-defendant in the Georgia case, has also been granted the opportunity to seek a pretrial appeal on the grounds that prosecutors did not have the authority to pursue election-related charges against him without a referral from the state election board.
It is uncertain whether the Georgia case will proceed to trial before the November election due to ongoing legal challenges and appeals. Judge McAfee has stated that he will continue to address pretrial motions in the case regardless of the outcome of the appeal efforts. The defense lawyers are continuing to argue for the disqualification of Willis and her office, claiming that the judge’s ruling was flawed and that further action is necessary to ensure a fair trial. The appeals court has 45 days to decide whether to grant or deny the application for appeal, adding to the uncertainty surrounding the progress of the case.
