Trump Blindsides Fani Willis With New Legal Maneuver
Attorneys for President Donald Trump, Steven H. Sadow and Jennifer L. Little, have made a new legal move aimed at seeing their client’s charges dismissed.
The lawyers submitted a plea to Judge Scott McAfee in Fulton County on Wednesday requesting the dismissal of two charges in the election interference case led by District Attorney Fani Willis. The charges in question, involving the filing of allegedly false documents and a conspiracy to commit the same, are contested on jurisdictional grounds. Trump’s legal team argued that such allegations fall under federal, not state, authority.
The move is the latest attempt to counter the case that implicates Trump and 18 others in alleged efforts to overturn the 2020 election results in Georgia. The filing states, “Consequently, the State of Georgia cannot punish the filing of an allegedly false document in federal court, as the power to do so belongs solely to the federal government.”
Michael McAuliffe, a former federal prosecutor and former elected state attorney, explained to Newsweek, “The Fulton County DA likely will argue that jurisdictional hook is that the Georgia presidential elector process is indeed a matter within the jurisdiction of the State of Georgia and any false statements or filings regarding the Georgia presidential elector slate––regardless of to whom the statement was made––is properly chargeable by the State of Georgia.”
Willis, who has spearheaded the investigation, has come under scrutiny due to allegations of misconduct linked to her personal relationship with another prosecutor, Nathan Wade. This relationship has been portrayed by Trump’s defense team as a conflict of interest, potentially jeopardizing the integrity of the prosecution. The relationship could have influenced the proceedings, although both Willis and Wade have defended their professionalism, due to their financial independence and the absence of any unethical overlap between their personal and professional lives.
The investigation focuses on several key events, including the phone call between Trump and Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, in which Trump suggested finding enough votes to overturn his defeat in the state. If charges are brought, it could lead to significant legal and political consequences for Trump and others involved. The case is part of the set of legal challenges facing Trump, including inquiries in New York, and potential federal investigations.
Last Friday the Fulton County Commission made significant changes to its ethics and anti-nepotism policies, potentially complicating the legal landscape for the Willis. The revised policy includes provisions that could lead to new complaints against elected officials like Willis. The county commission said that all elected officials who receive county funds will now be subjected to these standards.
The change was spurred by previous incidents that seemed to escape the ethics committee’s purview, including a controversial matter involving DA Willis herself.
According to the Fulton County Commission, these modifications were necessary to ensure everyone is held to the same standards of integrity.
“The ethics policy was extended to all types of elected officials in Fulton County that received Fulton County funds,” Commissioner Bob Ellis explained to Rough Draft Atlanta. The adjustment follows the news of the ethics complaint concerning Willis that had been dismissed earlier because the code did not then apply to the District Attorney.
