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President Donald Trump received good news this week for his defense in the criminal case being pursued against him in Fulton County, Georgia. On Thursday, the Georgia Court of Appeals confirmed it would allow Trump’s appeal to proceed.
The appeal relates to the apparent conflict of interest between Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis and her romantic relationship with Nathan Wade, the special prosecutor assigned to pursue the case against Trump.
The conflict of interest claims against Willis and Wade include allegations that Wade used the funds Fulton County paid him as a special prosecutor to purchase gifts and luxurious vacations for Willis.
The allegations were ultimately brought to the attention of Fulton County Superior Court Judge Scot McAfee. Although Judge McAfee acknowledged the appearance of a conflict of interest, and chided Willis for behaving in an unprofessional manner, he ultimately did not find the conflict of interest rose to a level that would warrant her removal. Judge McAfee allowed Willis to remain on the case as long as Nathan Wade stepped down.
Trump’s defense team is seeking to have the decision reviewed by the Georgia Court of Appeals with the ultimate goal of having Willis removed from the case.
The timing alone may be a victory for Trump since the appellate process will delay the case until at least August and could potentially cause the case to be postponed until after the November election.
The Fulton County charges represent one of four criminal cases being pursued against Trump. All four cases have encountered delays which may provide the Trump campaign with the additional time needed to counteract the effect these cases will have on the election.
