A Georgia appeals court has agreed to review a lower court ruling that allowed Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis to continue prosecuting the election interference case against former President Donald Trump. The case involved allegations of Trump and other defendants participating in a scheme to overturn the 2020 presidential election results in Georgia.
Trump and the defendants had sought to have Willis removed from the case, citing a conflict of interest due to her romantic relationship with special prosecutor Nathan Wade. However, a Superior Court judge previously ruled that no conflict of interest existed, but granted a request to appeal the decision.
The Georgia Court of Appeals has now agreed to take up the case, potentially causing further delays and impacting the timeline for a trial before the upcoming general election. The losing side in the appeals court could further appeal to the Georgia Supreme Court.
Despite the pending appeal, the Superior Court judge indicated plans to address pretrial motions in the case. The prosecution faced scrutiny over allegations of impropriety related to the personal relationship between Willis and Wade, leading to Wade's resignation from the case.
The case has seen several twists, with intimate details of the prosecutors' personal lives being aired in court. The charges against Trump and 18 others include violations of Georgia's Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations law. While some defendants have pleaded guilty, Trump and others maintain their innocence.
The appeal application argued that both Willis and Wade should have been removed from the case, emphasizing concerns over the handling of the situation. The allegations of improper benefits stemming from the romantic relationship between Willis and Wade have added complexity to the legal proceedings.
Willis and Wade confirmed their relationship but stated that it began after Wade was hired and ended before the case gained attention. They denied any wrongdoing in their professional conduct and financial arrangements.
