Fani Willis disqualified from Trump's Georgia election interference case
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Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis on March 1 in Atlanta, Ga. Photo: Alex Slitz/Pool/AFP via Getty Images
The Georgia Court of Appeals ruled Thursday to disqualify Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis from President-elect Trump's state 2020 election interference case over a conflict of interest.
Why it matters: It's another major legal victory for Trump, who has repeatedly accused Willis of impropriety due to a relationship with the lead prosecutor on the case.
- The Georgia 2020 election case is Trump's last remaining criminal case that was set to go to trial. Two federal cases against him have been dropped since his election win.
- Willis' disqualification casts the case into limbo, while Trump is also fighting to have his New York hush money case thrown out following his May 2024 conviction.
Driving the news: "After carefully considering the trial court's findings in its order, we conclude that it erred by failing to disqualify DA Willis and her office," the Georgia appeals court said in its ruling.
- The court noted that "an appearance of impropriety generally is not enough to support disqualification," but said this is a "rare case" in which "no other remedy" but disqualification "will suffice to restore public confidence in the integrity of these proceedings."
- The appeals court stopped short of throwing out the charges Willis' office brought against Trump in the case, writing in its ruling, "We affirm, however, the denial of the appellants' motion to dismiss the indictment."
What's next: The case appears headed to Georgia's Supreme Court after the state filed its notice of intent to appeal on Thursday, hours after the ruling came down.
- There is no timeline for when the case might be heard or when a ruling will be issued.
Catch up quick: Thursday's decision reverses an earlier ruling that Willis and her office could stay on the case if special prosecutor Nathan Wade, with whom she had a romantic relationship, stepped aside.
- Judge Scott McAfee in March ruled that despite the "appearance of impropriety, " Willis' relationship with Wade brought no conflict of interest. Defense lawyers had argued that she improperly benefited from Wade taking part in the case.
What they're saying: Trump said the Georgia case is "entirely dead" when speaking to Fox News Digital on Thursday.
- He added that the "wonderful patriots" involved in the case — the 18 co-defendants indicted alongside him — should "receive an apology."
Trump spokesperson Steven Chung said in a statement that Americans have "demanded an immediate end to the political weaponization of our justice system" and want a "swift dismissal of all the Witch Hunts against him."
The big picture: Trump and 18 co-defendants were indicted in August 2023 over alleged efforts to overturn Georgia's 2020 election results.
- The initial 41-count indictment has since been whittled down by McAfee, but Trump still faces eight charges in the case, down from the original 13.
- Several of the 19 co-defendants in the case accepted plea deals. Trump has pleaded not guilty.
Editor's note: This story was updated with reaction, additional details from the ruling and background.
