In a significant ruling in the Georgia election interference case involving 45th President Donald Trump, Fulton County Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee has decided that Democrat District Attorney Fani Willis will continue to spearhead the prosecution.
However, Judge McAfee criticized Willis for her racially charged comments made during a speech, labeling them as “legally improper.”
The controversy stemmed from a motion filed by one of the 19 defendants to disqualify Willis from the case, citing an alleged improper relationship between her and special counsel Nathan Wade.
Although the judge found the evidence insufficient for Willis’s removal, he mandated that Wade be dismissed to avoid any “appearance of impropriety.” If not, Willis would be required to recuse herself from the case.
During a speech at an Atlanta church, Willis remarked that the scrutiny she and Wade faced was racially motivated, a statement that later led her to clarify that her comments were not directed at the defendants.
Nonetheless, Judge McAfee expressed concern over the ambiguity of her statements, highlighting the potential risk they posed to the integrity of the case. He noted Willis’s repeated reference to race in the context of the case as problematic.
Despite these criticisms, Judge McAfee concluded that Willis’s remarks did not compromise the defendants’ right to a fair trial. The decision on whether Willis will dismiss Wade or step down herself remains pending.