Another Trump Trial Derailed: Fani-Donating Judge's Decision To Keep Her On RICO Trial Under Scrutiny By Appeals Court
One day after former President Donald Trump's classified documents trial was postponed indefinitely after we learned that the DOJ mishandled evidence in the case (with Judge Aileen M. Cannon citing a mountain of 'outstanding' pre-trial matters that would make a May 20 trial 'imprudent'), another Trump case appears to have no chance of going to trial before the 2024 election.
On Wednesday, a Georgia appeals court agreed to review a lower court ruling which allowed Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis to remain on the Trump RICO prosecution despite being highly conflicted.
To review, Atlanta Judge Scott McAfee of Fulton Superior Court, who donated to Fani Willis when she was running for office, ruled in March that the Fani simply had to kick her lover, Nathan Wade, off the case after she paid him more than $600,000. The two notoriously took several lavish vacations together on Wade's dime (which Fani swears she repaid in cash).
According to McAfee, while he found the "appearance of impropriety," no "disqualification of a constitutional officer necessary when a less drastic and sufficiently remedial option is available," adding "that the prosecution of this case cannot proceed until the State selects one of two options."
And now, the Atlanta Court of Appeals has agreed to hear an appeal from the defendants over whether McAfee erred in his decision.
The Georgia Court of Appeals has agreed to hear an appeal from defendants over whether the judge erred when he ruled that Fani Willis could remain on the Trump RICO prosecution in Fulton County. This pushes that trial further off, likely beyond the election. pic.twitter.com/F1gXIfwI5E
— Joyce Alene (@JoyceWhiteVance) May 8, 2024
Willis indicted Trump and 18 other defendants last August, accusing them of a wide-ranging scheme to attempt to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election in the state. All of the defendants were charged under Georgia’s Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations, or RICO, law. Trump and most of the other defendants have pleaded not guilty.
In their appeal application, Trump and other defendants argued that McAfee was wrong not to remove both WIllis and Wade, writing that "providing DA Willis with the option to simply remove Wade confounds logic and is contrary to Georgia law."
Most recently, Willis has defiantly refused to appear before a Georgia Senate Investigative Committee, telling reporters earlier this week (via RedState):
REPORTER: Would you appear before a Georgia Senate committee without a subpoena?
WILLIS: Well first of all I don't even think they have the authority to subpoena me, but they didn't learn the law.
REPORTER: Will you appear, yes or no?
WILLIS: I will not appear to anything that is unlawful. I have not broken the law in any way. I've said it, you know, I'll say it amongst these leaders—I'm sorry folks get p***ed off that everybody gets treated even.
FAITH LEADER STANDING NEXT TO HER: I think she answered that very well.
The Georgia Court of Appeals has agreed to hear an appeal from defendants over whether the judge erred when he ruled that Fani Willis could remain on the Trump RICO prosecution in Fulton County. This pushes that trial further off, likely beyond the election. pic.twitter.com/F1gXIfwI5E
— Joyce Alene (@JoyceWhiteVance) May 8, 2024
Another one bites the dust?
Every Trump trial is melting down in front of the weaponized DOJ's eyes. https://t.co/FjikKJDrPF
— zerohedge (@zerohedge) May 7, 2024