Analysis: Georgia Court of Appeals disqualifies DA Fani Willis from prosecuting Trump election interference case

Georgia’s Court of Appeals disqualified Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis from prosecuting the 2020 election interference case against President-elect Donald Trump and his co-conspirators. All three appeal judges were elected by Republicans. About two hours after the announcement, Willis filed an appeal to the Georgia Supreme Court. The Peach State’s highest court will have the final say on the merits of Fani Willis taking this case forward.As a refresher, a Fulton County grand jury indicted Trump and 18 co-defendants in August 2023 for allegedly attempting to overturn the 2020 presidential election results in Georgia. Democrat Joe Biden carried the Peach State’s 16 electoral votes while winning the election by more than 11,000 votes.In March 2024, Ashleigh Merchant, the defense attorney pushing to disqualify Willis from the Georgia RICO case, maintained Willis’s relationship with co-counsel Nathan Wade was unethical. Merchant argued Willis paid Wade $250 per hour for his services. Then, she argued the DA benefitted from the fact Wade was able to take Willis on vacations to the Bahamas, Miami and Napa Valley.Attorney Ashleigh Merchant speaks to the Georgia Senate Committee on Investigations on Wednesday, March 6, 2024 in Atlanta. (Photo: Itoro N. Umontuen/The Atlanta Voice)Fulton County Superior Court...