May 9th 2024.
On May 8th, a decision was made by a Georgia appeals court to review a ruling from a lower court. This ruling would allow Fani Willis, the Fulton County District Attorney, to continue prosecuting former President Donald Trump on charges of election interference. This review has caused another delay in the criminal case involving the controversial former president. It is now possible that Trump, who is the presumptive Republican nominee, will not have to stand trial until after the upcoming November election.
According to the Associated Press, Steve Sadow, Trump's lead attorney in Georgia, informed them via email that their legal team is eager to present their argument that Willis should be disqualified due to her misconduct in what they believe to be a politically motivated persecution. It is expected that whichever side loses the court battle will appeal the decision, further prolonging the case. Judge Scott McAfee, who granted Willis the ability to stay on the case, stated in his order that he wants to continue addressing other pre-trial motions. Regardless of whether the petition is granted or not, and even if there is an expedited appeal, McAfee made it clear that he intends to keep moving forward with the case.
The Georgia Court of Appeals has agreed to hear an appeal from the defendants, questioning whether or not the judge made an error when ruling that Fani Willis could remain on the Trump RICO prosecution in Fulton County. This decision has pushed the trial even further, likely beyond the upcoming election. This means that Trump is unlikely to face trial in Georgia before 2025. Additionally, Judge Cannon has indefinitely delayed the documents case, and the DC case is currently on pause as the Supreme Court of the United States considers the issue of immunity.
As one reporter humorously stated at Trump's New York trial last week, "This is the only game in town." This development comes after the case was already put on hold once before, as the relationship between Fani Willis and former Special Prosecutor Nathan Wade was closely examined. During this time, the more serious charges against Trump and the other defendants were disregarded and placed on the back burner. Willis is also facing increased scrutiny from a GOP-led panel, which she believes does not have the legal authority to subpoena her. In response to this, Willis stated at a news conference, "First of all, I don't believe they have the authority to subpoena me, but they need to educate themselves on the law. I will not comply with anything that is unlawful, and I have not broken any laws. I have made this clear to these leaders; I'm sorry if some are upset that everyone is being treated equally."
According to CNN, the delay in the election interference case is a clear indication that the defense team's efforts to keep pushing the trial back are successful. As of now, no trial date has been officially set for this case. In the other case involving Trump's alleged mishandling of classified documents at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida, the judge has postponed the trial indefinitely. Meanwhile, the Supreme Court has yet to make a ruling on whether or not Trump is protected from his actions as president, using the broad claim of presidential immunity. While the justices appear to be skeptical of this claim, there is no immediate ruling on the horizon. According to NBC News, it is still possible for a trial to take place before the election, but it would need to begin promptly in order to meet the deadline.
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