(TheProudRepublic.com) – A new legal victory for Donald Trump may still have major consequences for his alleged election subversion trial in Georgia as the judge has allowed the former president to appeal a ruling refusing to disqualify Democrat DA Fani Willis over her love affair with a prosecutor in the case.
See a tweet showing the original ruling below!
The brief order, released on Wednesday by Judge Scott McAfee, endorsed the request for an immediate review that Trump and eight other co-defendants had submitted.
This move paves the way for them to petition the Georgia Court of Appeals to deliberate on the matter of Fani Willis’s disqualification before the start of the trial, The Hill informs.
Steve Sadow, the primary legal representative for Trump in Georgia, highlighted the importance of this development in a statement.
“This is highly significant. It means the defense is permitted to apply to the Georgia Court of Appeals for pretrial review of the Judge’s order refusing to dismiss the case or disqualify Fulton County DA Willis,” Sadow said.
“The defense is optimistic that appellate review will lead to the case being dismissed and the DA being disqualified,” he added.
Nevertheless, Judge McAfee indicated his intention to proceed with the case in his courtroom without delay.
“The Court intends to continue addressing the many other unrelated pending pretrial motions, regardless of whether the petition is granted within 45 days of filing, and even if any subsequent appeal is expedited by the appellate court,” McAfee declared in his ruling.
Trump, alongside his associates, faces allegations of racketeering and additional criminal charges tied to an extensive criminal conspiracy aimed at overturning Joe Biden’s victory in the 2020 Georgia election.
The 45th president of the United States has declared his innocence in these charges, consistent with his stance in three other criminal cases.
The core of the defendants’ strategy involves seeking the removal of Willis and her team from the case, citing her romantic relationship with Nathan Wade, a special prosecutor who had a significant role in the investigation into Trump’s actions in Georgia, the report notes.
This revelation led to a protracted diversion in the legal proceedings. The culmination of this dispute came last week when the judge decided Willis could remain involved in the case provided Wade resigned, which he did shortly after.
Trump and his co-defendants are now looking to escalate the issue to a higher state court, aiming to overturn the recent ruling and potentially halt the case or have the charges dismissed altogether.
They argue that the disclosed romantic relationship constitutes a tangible conflict of interest, a claim dismissed by the district attorney’s office.
BREAKING: Judge Scott McAfee issues certificate of immediate review, allowing Trump and seven co-defendants to seek appeal of order denying disqualification of Fulton County district attorney Fani Willis. pic.twitter.com/77ipx1zWHM
— Insider Paper (@TheInsiderPaper) March 20, 2024
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