Former President Donald Trump’s legal team has taken a significant step towards challenging Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis’s involvement in the election interference case in Georgia. Trump, along with several co-defendants, has escalated their efforts to disqualify Willis from the case.
On Friday, they filed an appeal against a ruling allowing Willis to continue overseeing the case, highlighting the complex legal issues and polarized political atmosphere surrounding the proceedings.
This appeal, submitted to the Georgia Court of Appeals, contests a previous decision by Judge Scott McAfee, arguing that errors were made by not requiring Willis’s disqualification from the case.
The 51-page appeal strongly asserts that the court’s oversight constitutes a “legal error” requiring immediate judicial review, reflecting the high stakes and complexities involved.
“This legal error requires the Court’s immediate review,” the filing stated, according to ABC News. “The trial court was bound by existing case law to not only require Wade’s disqualification (which occurred) but also to require the disqualification of DA Willis and her entire office. The trial court’s failure to do so is plain legal error requiring reversal.”
Trump, along with notable figures such as Michael Roman, Rudy Giuliani, Mark Meadows, and Jeffrey Clark, is part of this appeal, aiming to dismiss the Fulton County indictment and remove Willis and her entire office from the case.
This move follows a significant change within the prosecution team, with lead prosecutor Nathan Wade resigning due to controversies surrounding a “significant appearance of impropriety” related to the romantic relationship between Willis and Wade.
The appeal will now be reviewed by a three-judge panel from the Georgia Court of Appeals, randomly assigned to review the application. Only one judge’s agreement is needed for the appeal to proceed.
The defense’s filing outlines several grounds for the appeals court to consider, particularly disputing Judge McAfee’s decision. They argue that McAfee erred in not mandating Willis’s disqualification, despite recognizing an appearance of impropriety in her actions.
