Trump appeals ruling that let Fani Willis stay on Georgia case

Former President Donald Trump and eight of his co-defendants in the Georgia election racketeering case have appealed the ethics decision by Fulton County Judge Scott McAfee allowing District Attorney Fani Willis to continue prosecuting the case.

According to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, "The defendants say Willis should be disqualified from the case, citing her romantic relationship with special prosecutor Nathan Wade, which they said had given the DA a financial interest in the prosecution ... On Friday, the defendants asked the Georgia Court of Appeals to overturn McAfee’s decision. They argued McAfee erred in failing to disqualify Willis."

Trump and his co-defendants further argue that this error needs to be resolved before trial, rather than after.

It now falls to the Court of Appeals to decide whether to take up the case, which could theoretically delay a trial date for the Georgia case even further.

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Willis has defended her conduct throughout the ethics hearing. McAfee ultimately disagreed that there was clear evidence of a financial conflict of interest in Willis and Wade's relationship, but ruled that Willis can only stay on if Wade resigned, which he promptly did.

Trump's legal team demanded McAfee grant permission for this ruling to be appealed, and he did so, clearing the way for this new filing.