The judge in the trial of Donald Trump and his 14 co-defendants in Georgia for illegal attempts to overturn the results of the 2020 US presidential election on Friday rejected prosecutor Fani Willis’ request for dismissal, but set conditions for its continuation .
Judge Scott McAfee concluded there was insufficient evidence of a “conflict of interest” because of her intimate relationship with an investigator she hired in the case.
But, concluding that there was “an appearance of inappropriate behavior” and denouncing a “huge lack of judgment” on the part of the prosecutor, he demanded that she withdraw from the case, with her entire team, or that this investigator, Nathan Wade, withdraws.
Targeted by four separate criminal proceedings, former President Donald Trump, the Republican candidate in the November election against outgoing Democratic President Joe Biden, is seeking through his multiple appeals to go to trial as late as possible, at least after voting.
A withdrawal from the prosecutor would have considerably postponed the holding of this trial, for which no date has been set.
Four of the 19 people initially targeted by the indictment issued on August 14, notably under a Georgia law on organized gang crime used by the prosecutor, have already pleaded guilty. They were sentenced to reduced sentences, without prison time, in exchange for their testimony at the future trial of the other defendants.
Mr. Trump’s co-defendants include his former personal lawyer, Rudy Giuliani, and his most recent White House chief of staff, Mark Meadows.