Former President Donald Trump and other defendants in Georgia have submitted a formal application to appeal a judge's ruling allowing Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis to remain on the case. The defendants had sought to have Willis removed due to her romantic relationship with special prosecutor Nathan Wade, alleging a conflict of interest. However, Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee determined that there was no conflict requiring Willis to step down, though he noted an appearance of impropriety.
McAfee's ruling stipulated that Willis could continue the prosecution if Wade withdrew from the case, which he did shortly after. Subsequently, lawyers representing Trump and the other defendants requested permission to appeal McAfee's decision to the Georgia Court of Appeals, which was granted.
The application has now been filed with the appeals court, initiating the next phase of the process. The Court of Appeals has up to 45 days to decide whether to take up the matter.
The case has been marred by allegations that Willis had received undue benefits from her relationship with Wade, causing significant disruptions. The personal details of their romance were publicly disclosed in court, diverting attention from the serious accusations in one of the criminal cases against Trump and 18 others. The defendants were indicted in August on charges related to an alleged scheme to unlawfully overturn Trump's narrow defeat to Democrat Joe Biden in the 2020 presidential election in Georgia.
Willis utilized Georgia's Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) law, a broad anti-racketeering statute, to bring charges against Trump and the other defendants. To date, four individuals implicated in the case have pleaded guilty after striking deals with prosecutors, while Trump and the remaining defendants have entered not guilty pleas.
