FULTON COUNTY, Ga. — Georgia's 2020 election interference case involving former President Donald Trump and several other co-defendants is hitting a snag as the November election inches closer.
An order by the Georgia Court of Appeals on Wednesday is pausing any proceedings in Fulton County for certain defendants, including Trump until the court rules on an appeal related to Fani Willis' disqualification.
In addition to the former president, the defendants included in this order are Michael Roman, David Shafer, Robert Cheeley, Mark Meadows, Donald Trump, Cathleen Latham, Rudolph Giuliani, Jeffrey Clark and Harrison Floyd.
"The Georgia Court of Appeals has properly stayed all proceedings against President Trump in the trial court pending its decision on our interlocutory appeal, which argues the case should be dismissed and Fulton County DA Willis should be disqualified for her misconduct," Trump's lead defense counsel Steve Sadow said.
The effort to remove Willis started when an attorney representing one of the defendants in the case filed a motion asking Fulton County Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee to disqualify Willis and special prosecutor Nathan Wade. The pair were accused of improperly financially benefitting from a romantic relationship.
Although the judge admonished Willis about the relationship, he ultimately ruled there was not enough evidence to prove the pair benefitted. In the end, McAfee offered Willis two choices: either she could step aside, along with her office, and refer the case to the Prosecuting Attorney's Council for reassignment, or Wade could withdraw. Within the same day of the ruling, Wade resigned, but efforts to remove Willis remain ongoing.
Since McAfee's ruling, several defendants signed on to appeal his decision. Willis has also filed her own notice of a cross-appeal. It could take months for the Court of Appeals to rule on the matters.
In general, Trump and 18 alleged co-conspirators were initially charged in a 41-count indictment unveiled this past August. Four defendants have since entered guilty pleas. All others, including the former president, maintain their innocence. Trump faces 13 counts in Fulton County, including violating Georgia's RICO statute.