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An appellate court in Georgia has disqualified Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis from prosecuting President-elect Donald Trump and his co-defendants in a case related to their efforts to overturn the 2020 election results. The court's decision, announced on Thursday (December 19), follows scrutiny over Willis' relationship with Nathan Wade, a special prosecutor on the case. This ruling is expected to significantly impact the case, potentially halting efforts to prosecute Trump and his allies.
The appellate court found that the trial court erred by not disqualifying Willis earlier, citing an "appearance of impropriety" due to her relationship with Wade. Although Wade resigned after a Fulton County Superior Court judge identified this issue, the appellate court stated that the remedy did not adequately address the impropriety when Willis was making prosecutorial decisions. The court emphasized that while an appearance of impropriety typically does not warrant disqualification, this case is an exception where disqualification is necessary to maintain public confidence in the proceedings.
The case is not dismissed, and Georgia law permits the assignment of a different county prosecutor. However, legal experts suggest that finding a new prosecutor may be challenging due to the case's complex and political nature. Neither Trump's team nor the district attorney's office has commented on the ruling.