Fulton County Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee has ruled former President Donald J. Trump can file an appeal in a final attempt to get Fulton County District Attorney Fani T. Willis kicked off the Georgia election interference case.
By the end of Friday afternoon, Fulton County District Attorney Fani T. Willis found out she will have the runway to prosecute former President Donald J. Trump. Around 9:00 AM Eastern Time, Fulton County Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee ruled Willis can proceed with her case, provided by Special Assistant District Attorney Nathan J. Wade resigned from the case. A few hours later, Wade tendered his resignation with immediate effect.
In Friday’s ruling, McAfee asserted “reasonable questions about whether the District Attorney and her hand-selected lead SADA (Special Assistant District Attorney) testified untruthfully about the timing of their relationship further underpin the finding of an appearance of impropriety and the need to make proportional efforts to cure it.”
Friday, Lead defense counsel Steve Sadow issued a statement saying the actions of Fulton County DA Fani Willis were improper and left an “odor of mendacity.”
The motion noted that the Court found that Willis’ actions created an appearance of impropriety and an “odor of mendacity,” as described by McAfee, that lingers in this case, but he did not refuse to dismiss the case or disqualify her.
With the request for review from Trump, and the seven other co-defendants, it brings the total requests for appeals to eight. It is now up to the Georgia Court of Appeals to decide whether to take up the appeal.
According to the ruling by Judge McAfee, he says, the defendants’ motion to disqualify Willis, “is of such importance to the case that immediate review should be had.” It must be noted, if the Georgia Court of Appeals takes the case, the body could direct McAfee to pause proceedings pending their ruling.