. According to the judge, Trump has the ability to challenge the ruling that Fani Willis will continue to preside over the Georgia 2020 election case.
Washington — The Fulton County superior court judge overseeing the 2020 election case involving former President Donald Trump will allow the former president and a group of his co-defendants to appeal his decision allowing District Attorney Fani Willis to
Proceed with pushing forward with the legal proceedings.
If Nathan Wade, a special prosecutor, stepped down from his role.
The decision made by Judge Scott McAfee of the Superior Court allows Trump and eight others to request a review by the Georgia Court of Appeals of his ruling, which was made on Friday. In a “Certificate of Immediate Review,” McAfee stated that he will continue to address other pretrial motions, even if the appellate court decides not to take on the case.
Last week, McAfee denied a request made by Trump and others to remove Willis and her team from handling the case due to a personal relationship between Willis and Wade. This relationship began when Willis hired Wade as a special prosecutor in November 2021. The judge ruled that Willis and her office could continue with the case as long as Wade recused himself, which he did immediately after McAfee’s decision was announced.
According to a court document filed by Michael Roman, a well-established Republican strategist who is facing charges with Trump, he and his alleged accomplice began a romantic relationship prior to the hiring of Wade for the investigation into Trump’s purported attempts to overturn the 2020 election results in Georgia. Roman also accused Willis of financial gain from their relationship. Trump and seven other individuals have joined Roman in attempting to remove Willis and her office from the case and have the charges against all of them dropped.
Alyssa Pointer / AP
Wade and Willis both acknowledged their romantic involvement, but denied any wrongdoing. Willis stated that their relationship ended in the summer of last year.
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McAfee permitted Willis to stay involved in the case as long as Wade recused himself, but he strongly reprimanded both of them. The judge reprimanded the district attorney for a “serious error in judgment” and condemned their “unprofessional behavior.”
statements given at a hearing to present evidence
In the previous month, Wade and Willis were separately questioned by both prosecutors and defense attorneys about their connection.
McAfee stated that he could not definitively determine when Wade and Willis’ relationship evolved into a romantic one, but he believes there are still signs of dishonesty.
“Valid inquiries regarding the honesty of the District Attorney and her chosen lead [special assistant district attorney] regarding the timeline of their relationship reinforce the conclusion of potential misconduct and the importance of taking appropriate measures to address it,” stated McAfee.
Wade submitted his letter of resignation to Willis on the afternoon of Friday. In the letter, he explained that he was stepping down from his position as the special prosecutor in order to uphold the principles of democracy, serve the American people, and expedite the progress of this case.
Willis approved Wade’s resignation and commended her in a personal letter for exemplifying “patriotism, bravery, and unwavering commitment to justice” despite facing threats towards herself and her family, as well as unwarranted scrutiny from the media and in court on her abilities as an attorney.
Trump faces 10 counts also charged with participating in the same scheme.
The Fulton County district attorney has brought forth a extensive case of racketeering, accusing the former president and his associates of attempting to overturn the results of the recent presidential election in Georgia. The former president has entered a plea of not guilty to all allegations, and 18 additional individuals have also been charged for involvement in the alleged scheme.charged alongside Trump
Four individuals accepted plea agreements from the prosecutors, while the remaining 14 co-defendants have entered pleas of not guilty.
This report was contributed to by Jared Eggleston.
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Source: cbsnews.com