Many believe Fulton County DA is unbelievably lucky to still be on the case against former President Donald Trump, especially after what was revealed in weeks' worth of dramatic hearings regarding her relationship with prosecutor Nathan Wade.
For his part, Trump isn't happy with the judge's decision to keep Willis on the case, and according to The Hill, formally filed an appeal to have the decision reconsidered.
While Judge Scott McAfee admitted in his decision that her relationship with Wade created the "appearance" of a conflict, he allowed her to stay on the case as long as Wade resigned, which he did.
The decision drew massive backlash, as many believe her testimony proved that she's not only not qualified to handle the Trump case, but also far too deep in a conflict of interest for the case to proceed.
Trump, along with his co-defendants in the case, formally filed an application to appeal the judge's decision to keep Willis on the case.
The application was filed at the state level with the Georgia Court of Appeals.
Trump, others appeal ruling allowing Willis [D-GA] to stay on cases https://t.co/XFXobHM8aV
— Georgia Log Cabin (@GeorgiaLogCabin) March 31, 2024
"While the trial court factually found DA Willis’s out-of-court statements were improper and Defendants proved an apparent conflict of interest, the trial court erred as a matter of law by not requiring dismissal and DA Willis’ disqualification," the application reads.
It added, "This legal error requires the Court’s immediate review."
Willis' office will have a period of 10 days to respond to the appeals application, according to state law. As of this writing, they have not responded.
Willis, Wade and many others in their orbit took part in a weeks-long, mostly televised hearing that explored the timeline of the two prosecutors' romantic and financial relationship.
The Hill noted:
Two witnesses testified that the pair’s romance started after a 2019 judicial conference they both attended. Willis and Wade said they did meet at the conference but established a mentor-like relationship, not a romantic one.
McAffee ruled that he only found the appearance of a conflict, but Trump's lawyers argued that it was much more than just an appearance, at least according to multiple witnesses.
"If this law means anything, the trial court’s actual findings here establish an actual conflict," Trump's lawyers wrote in the application.
