Former President Donald Trump and several of his co-defendants on Friday filed their appeal of the disqualification ruling that allowed Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis to remain on the Georgia election interference case.
The motion from Trump and others to the Georgia Court of Appeals argues that Judge Scott McAfee “erred as a matter of law by not requiring dismissal and DA Willis’ disqualification.”
“This legal error requires the Court’s immediate review,” the 51-page filing states.
The appeal came from Trump and co-defendants including Michael Roman, Rudy Giuliani, Mark Meadows, and Jeffrey Clark as part of a month-long effort to have the Fulton County indictment dismissed and Willis and her entire office removed from the case.
Judge McAfee last week cleared the way for Trump to appeal the ruling when the he granted their joint request to obtain a certificate of immediate review.
Nathan Wade, the lead prosecutor in Trump’s election interference case, resigned as special prosecutor on March 15, hours after McAfee issued a ruling that either Willis or Wade must step aside from the case due to a “significant appearance of impropriety” stemming from a romantic relationship between Willis and Wade.
Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump speaks at a campaign rally, March 9, 2024, in Rome Ga.
Mike Stewart/AP
Trump and 18 others pleaded not guilty last August to all charges in a sweeping racketeering indictment for alleged efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election in the state of Georgia. Four co-defendants subsequently took plea deals in exchange for agreeing to testify against other defendants.
McAfee said last this week he would keep moving forward with the case while Trump and his co-defendants pursue their appeal.
“The Court intends to continue addressing the many other unrelated pending pretrial motions, regardless of whether the petition is granted within 45 days of filing, and even if any subsequent appeal is expedited by the appellate court,” the judge said.