The Georgia Appeals Court has temporarily halted former US President Donald Trump’s election interference case as it considers his appeal to disqualify Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis. This pause ensures that the trial will not occur before the upcoming US Presidential elections, as reported by The Hill.
On Wednesday, the Georgia Court of Appeals issued a one-page ruling that pauses the proceedings until it resolves appeals from Trump and several co-defendants who are seeking to remove Willis from the prosecution due to her previous relationship with a top prosecutor involved in the case. Oral arguments are tentatively scheduled for October, indicating that the trial is unlikely to proceed before the presidential election. Trump, who is the presumptive Republican nominee, aims to halt his legal cases if re-elected.
The appeals court’s decision came after it was revealed that Willis and then-special prosecutor Nathan Wade had a professional relationship, which was scrutinized during hearings where both defended the propriety of their past interactions. Judge Scott McAfee ruled that Willis could continue on the case if Wade resigned, which he subsequently did. Both prosecutors have maintained that their relationship was not improper.
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Despite this, Trump and several co-defendants argued that the Georgia judge’s decision to keep Willis on the case was insufficient and requested the appeals court’s intervention. Trump’s attorney, Steve Sadow, declined to comment on the matter.
Trump and his allies are accused of attempting to overturn the 2020 presidential election results in Georgia, with Trump pleading not guilty. Ashleigh Merchant, attorney for 2020 Trump campaign operative Michael Roman, praised the appeals court’s decision. Roman had originally alleged a “conflict of interest” due to the Willis-Wade relationship, claiming they lied about when it began.
Merchant expressed satisfaction with the court’s decision, stating, “We are happy that the Court of Appeals agrees with us that this issue is so important to this entire case that it decided to stop the case from moving forward in the trial court until the issue of whether or not Willis must be removed from the case can be decided.” She added, “Mr. Roman is innocent, and we hope that this misuse of the justice system will finally come to an end when a disinterested prosecutor takes over the case.”
