Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis was removed from the Georgia election interference case against President-elect Donald Trump by a state appeals court on Dec. 19 after months of preparation, Associated Press reports.
The case has been paused for months as Willis anticipated her fate after an appeal was filed in response to a romantic relationship with special prosecutor Nathan Wade, who was hired as a lead on the case. A Georgia Court of Appeals panel cited an “appearance of impropriety” in a 2-1 decision. It ruled, “This is the rare case in which disqualification is mandated and no other remedy will suffice to restore public confidence in the integrity of these proceedings.”
While the ruling adds to the list of legal victories for Trump in criminal cases presented as a threat to his career and freedom, Willis’ office immediately filed a notice of intent following the ruling to ask the Georgia Supreme Court to review the decision.
Trump will return to the White House for a second term after being empowered by the Supreme Court’s decision to grant former presidents presumptive immunity for any “official acts” taken in office. Willis’ fate comes just weeks after Justice Department special counsel Jack Smith walked away from two federal prosecutions against the incoming president; the sentencing in a separate hush money case was put on hold indefinitely in New York.
In early December 2024, Willis was ordered to turn over all communications
with Smith, which may reveal how much the two offices communicated while they were supposed to be prosecuting Trump separately.In a statement, Trump’s attorney, Steve Sadow, celebrated the court’s decision. “As the Court rightfully noted, only the remedy of disqualification will suffice to restore public confidence,” Sadow said, according to The Hill. “This decision puts an end to a politically motivated persecution of the next President of the United States.”
Willis first stepped on the national scene after a grand jury indicted Trump and 18 co-defendants using Georgia’s anti-racketeering law. The group was accused of infiltrating efforts to illegally try to overturn President Joe Biden’s victory in the 2020 presidential election. Trump allegedly used certain powers, including calling Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger and pressuring him to help find enough votes to beat Biden. Four people have already pleaded guilty.
The state prosecutor faced backlash after allegations surfaced that she improperly benefited from her romance with Wade. As a result, intimate details of Willis and Wade’s personal lives were made public during a hearing in mid-February 2024. A defendant’s motion accused Willis of paying Wade large sums for his work and benefiting while being paid for lavish vacations.
Following Willis’ removal, Trump spoke to Fox News Digital, claiming that “everybody should receive an apology, including those wonderful patriots who have been caught up in this for years.”
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