More bad news for District Attorney Fani Willis and her legal team in their pursuit of former President Donald Trump — the latest loss in a series of defeats for Willis, who has seen almost her entire case collapse in recent months.
Fulton County Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee dismissed three more charges in the controversial Georgia election interference case against Trump and his allies on Thursday, the latest in a serious of courtroom blows to the prosecution led Willis.
In an order filed Thursday, Judge McAfee stated, “Counts 14, 15, and 27 lie beyond this State’s jurisdiction and must be quashed.”
Two of these charges specifically pertained to Trump and related to filing false documents in federal court.
Trump’s Georgia attorney, Steve Sadow, celebrated the decision.
“President Trump and his legal team in Georgia have prevailed once again,” Sadow said.
This latest ruling follows the dismissal of six other charges earlier this year, three of which also impacted Trump. Currently, eight charges remain against the former president in this case.
The case has been marred by controversy, including allegations of an improper relationship between DA Willis and special prosecutor Nathan Wade, who Willis hired with taxpayer money. While Willis and Wade acknowledged a sexual relationship that ended last summer, they argued it did not create a conflict of interest.
Judge McAfee was unmoved and ruled that Willis could only remain on the case if Wade stepped aside, leading to Wade’s resignation.
Trump’s legal team has appealed this decision, arguing that the indictment should be dismissed and Willis’s team disqualified. The Georgia Court of Appeals is set to hear oral arguments on this matter in December, effectively putting the case on hold.
In a separate development, Willis herself defied a subpoena from the Georgia state senate’s Special Committee on Investigations on Thursday, which is looking into allegations of misuse of taxpayer funds.
Senator Bill Cowsert, who chairs the committee, stated, “We think it’s unlikely that she will appear but disappointing that she considers herself above the law.”
Of the original 19 individuals indicted in this case, four have taken plea deals. The remaining defendants, including Trump, continue to maintain their innocence.