Prosecutor Fani Willis removed from Georgia election case against Trump and others
The Hindu
Fulton County DA removed from Trump case due to relationship with prosecutor, latest legal victory for president-elect.
A State appeals court on Thursday (December 19, 2024) removed Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis from the Georgia election interference case against Donald Trump and others, the latest legal victory for the President-elect in criminal cases that once threatened his career and freedom.
The case against Mr. Trump and more than a dozen others had already been stalled for months over an appeal related to a romantic relationship Ms. Willis had with special prosecutor Nathan Wade, whom she had hired to lead the case.
Citing an “appearance of impropriety” that might not typically warrant such a removal, a Georgia Court of Appeals panel said in a 2-1 ruling that “this is the rare case in which disqualification is mandated and no other remedy will suffice to restore public confidence in the integrity of these proceedings.” Ms. Willis’ office immediately filed a notice of intent to ask the Georgia Supreme Court to review the decision.
But pursuing a criminal case against a sitting President is a virtual impossibility. And Mr. Trump will return to the White House having overcome efforts to prosecute him and empowered by a Supreme Court ruling granting him presumptive immunity for any “official acts” he takes in office.
The development comes weeks after Justice Department special counsel Jack Smith abandoned two federal prosecutions against the incoming President, and as sentencing in a separate hush money case in New York is indefinitely on hold as a result of Mr. Trump’s victory in November over Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris.
A grand jury in Atlanta indicted Mr. Trump and 18 others in August 2023, using the State’s anti-racketeering law to accuse them of participating in a wide-ranging scheme to illegally try to overturn Mr. Trump’s narrow 2020 presidential election loss to Democrat Joe Biden in Georgia. The alleged scheme included Mr. Trump's call to Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger urging him to help find enough votes to beat Mr. Biden. Four people have pleaded guilty.
Mr. Trump told Fox News Digital that the case “should not be allowed to go any further.” The President-elect added: “Everybody should receive an apology, including those wonderful patriots who have been caught up in this for years.”
Explore Europe's deadliest train accidents in recent years and their impact on rail travel safety.
Putin receives invitation to join Trump's "Board of Peace" amid shifting Middle East relations and ongoing global conflicts.
Shooting at a Czech town hall leaves one dead and four injured; suspect shot by police, motive unknown.
Bangladesh claims 2025 minority incidents were mostly criminal, not communal, addressing India's concerns over rising violence.
UK PM Starmer urges calm dialogue on Greenland, opposing Trump's tariff threats against allies to maintain strong partnerships.
GTRI advises India to address non-tariff barriers with the EU in upcoming FTA negotiations set to conclude on January 27.
Japan's Kashiwazaki-Kariwa nuclear plant restart delayed due to alarm malfunction, marking a crucial test for the nuclear industry.
BNP calls for impartiality from the Election Commission ahead of the February 12 elections, citing concerns over potential biases.
The Karachi mall fire death toll rises, with over 60 people still unaccounted for, officials report.
Major EU states condemn Trump's tariff threats over Greenland, considering economic retaliation and emphasizing the importance of transatlantic relations.
Limited internet access briefly returned in Iran before dropping again, a monitor said Sunday
China's population decline continues for the fourth year, with births at a record low and deaths rising, complicating economic plans.
Ukraine's commander warns of Russia's plan to ramp up drone production to 1,000 daily amid ongoing military tensions.