Ruh-Roh! Georgia Appeals Court to Review Allowing Fani Willis to Remain on Trump Racketeering Case

The Georgia Court of Appeals has decided to review an appeal concerning the involvement of Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis in former President Donald Trump’s racketeering case. This comes after the defense challenged a decision by Fulton County Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee that allowed Willis to continue overseeing the case. The controversy centers on Willis's previous romantic involvement with Nathan Wade, who was the special prosecutor until his resignation in March following Judge McAfee's decision.

Judge McAfee's ruling permitted Willis to stay on the case on the condition that Wade, identified as having had a romantic relationship with Willis, step aside. Despite stepping down, Wade’s departure did little to quell concerns about the propriety of Willis's continuing role, given their past relationship. The defense argues that Willis's involvement represents a significant conflict of interest and accuses her of forensic misconduct, rendering her position untenable.

This development introduces further complications to Trump’s legal battles, potentially delaying the proceedings against him and over a dozen co-defendants. Trump's lawyer, Steve Sadow, announced the appeals court's decision on X, highlighting the importance of this interlocutory appeal in challenging the trial court’s refusal to disqualify Willis.

The case has been tainted by accusations from the defense, including claims that Willis had improperly paid Wade $700,000 during his tenure as special prosecutor, which allegedly funded lavish vacations shared by the two. Both Willis and Wade have acknowledged their relationship but denied any misconduct, asserting that they split vacation expenses and that Willis reimbursed Wade in cash.

This legal wrangle adds to a series of delays in Trump’s other legal challenges, including a postponed classified documents case in Florida and a paused election interference case in Washington, D.C. Meanwhile, Trump’s hush-money criminal trial in Man..