Trump’s election interference case in Georgia paused pending bid to disqualify embattled DA Fani Willis
A Georgia appeals court put former President Donald Trump’s election interference case in the state on hold while it hears out his effort to disqualify Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis.
In a brief order, the Court of Appeals of the State of Georgia ruled that Willis’ cases against the presumptive Republican nominee for president and eight of his co-defendants in Fulton County Superior Court must be “stayed pending the outcome” of their appeals.
The indefinite stay applies to the 77-year-old former president, former Trump campaign official Michael Roman, former Georgia GOP Chairman David Shafer, lawyer Robert Cheeley, former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows, former Coffee County GOP Chairwoman Cathleen Latham, former Trump attorney and ex-New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, former Justice Department official Jeffrey Clark and former Black Voices for Trump Director Harrison Floyd
It is unclear if the pause applies to the six defendants who did not join the motion to disqualify Willis.
“The Georgia Court of Appeals has properly stayed all proceedings against President Trump in the trial court pending its decision on our interlocutory appeal,” Trump attorney Steve Sadow said in a statement, “which argues the case should be dismissed and Fulton County DA Willis should be disqualified for her misconduct.”
Trump and the eight co-defendants had asked the Georgia appeals court in March to hear their arguments accusing Willis of prosecutorial misconduct over her relationship with former special prosecutor Nathan Wade.
Fulton County Judge Scott McAfee had previously ruled that the embattled DA could remain on the case as long as her former lover stepped down — which he subsequently did.
Trump’s appeal seeks to have McAfee’s decision overturned before his case heads to trial.
His legal team argues that Willis’ entanglement with Wade amounted to a conflict of interest, and that the DA misused public funds by benefitting from her boyfriend’s earnings when he took her on lavish vacations.
Earlier this week, the Georgia Court of Appeals tentatively set arguments in the effort to oust Willis for Oct. 4.
The latest ruling is likely to cause further delays in the Fulton County case. A trial start date was initially set for August, before the revelation of Willis’ romance with Wade.
The Fulton County District Attorney’s Office did not immediately respond to The Post’s request for comment.
Trump faces 13 felony counts for allegedly conspiring to overturn the Peach State’s 2020 presidential election result. He has pleaded not guilty.
