Atlanta, Sep 16 (AP) — The Supreme Court of Georgia has refused to hear an appeal from Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis regarding her disqualification from the Georgia election interference case involving Donald Trump and others.
The Georgia Court of Appeals, in December, ruled that Willis and her office must step down from prosecuting the case due to an “appearance of impropriety,” stemming from a romantic relationship between Willis and special prosecutor Nathan Wade, whom she appointed to lead the case. Subsequently, in January, Willis petitioned the Georgia Supreme Court to reconsider that decision. On Tuesday, the high court declined her request.
This decision necessitates the involvement of the Prosecuting Attorneys' Council of Georgia to appoint a new prosecutor. This individual will have several options: continue with Willis’ current strategy, elect to pursue only certain charges, or dismiss the case entirely. Identifying a prosecutor willing and able to take on this case could prove challenging, considering its complexity and the resources it demands.
Even if a successor aims to proceed with Willis’ approach, the possibility of prosecuting Trump appears unlikely given his status as the sitting president. However, of the 18 initially indicted by an Atlanta grand jury in August 2023, 14 defendants still face charges. These persons, including Trump, were accused under Georgia's anti-racketeering law of orchestrating an extensive scheme to unlawfully reverse Trump's narrow 2020 election defeat by Democrat Joe Biden in Georgia. Part of the alleged plot involved Trump urging Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger to “find” enough votes to surpass Biden's total. Notably, four individuals have already entered guilty pleas. (AP) SKS SKS
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