Fani Willis slams into Teflon Don, costing democracy

The ongoing legal battle between former President Donald Trump and Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis took a surprising or unsurprising twist this week, depending on where you sit. .

It all started when Nathan Wade, the former special prosecutor in the case, made a series of mind-bogglingly ill-advised public comments about his romantic relationship with District Attorney Willis. In an interview with ABC, Wade called his workplace romance “American as apple pie” and regretted that “that private matter has become the focus of this very important prosecution.” Indicated.

If you think back to a long time ago in February (which for many of us feels like years, not just weeks), Willis was leading a high-profile investigation into allegations against President Trump. Mr. Wade’s revelations immediately raised concerns about potential conflicts of interest. Interfering with the results of Georgia’s 2020 presidential election.

In response to those concerns, Fulton County Judge Scott McAfee in March ruled that Willis could proceed with the case only if Wade resigns as special prosecutor. But the decision didn’t sit well with Trump and his co-defendants, who immediately appealed it.

This week, the Georgia Court of Appeals announced in a very brief order that it would hear oral arguments in Trump’s appeal, a significant development in the ongoing legal battle. The appeals court directed President Trump and his legal team to file a notice of appeal within the next 10 days, setting the stage for a high-stakes showdown.

Most media outlets have viewed the successful appeal as a strategic move by Mr. Trump’s legal team, led by attorney Steve Sadow, who has criticized Mr. Willis for his alleged misconduct and unwarranted and unwarranted political incorrectness. They argued that Willis should be disbarred from the lawsuit for that reason. Persecution of their clients. They believed that the revelation of a romantic relationship between Wade and Willis was sufficient grounds to remove the district attorney from the investigation.

I don’t see it that way.

This is a frankly great practical move that goes far beyond anything complex and strategic. Here’s the Trump math behind it:

Realistically and practically, we believe it will take at least four months for both sides to file their appeal briefs. According to my calendar, it will be mid-October, about three weeks before the presidential election. That means the chances of this Georgia case going to court before the election are almost zero.

So, as we look back on a case that looks every day as if it might never go to trial, the Georgia Court of Appeals’ decision to revisit the lower court’s ruling that allowed Willis to continue leading the investigation. , both are problems. A decisive and pivotal moment in the case.

“The outcome of this appeal could have significant implications not only for these legal proceedings, but also for the broader political climate,” said William H. Cooper, a New York attorney. A favorable ruling could have an even greater impact.” Such an outcome would be a major victory on many levels for the former president and his legal team, who have argued that the investigation was driven by political bias. ”

Even if Judge Scott McAfee’s decision to keep Fani Willis in custody is ultimately upheld by the Georgia Court of Appeals, the case could still reach the Georgia Supreme Court on appeal. And, of course, an appeal from the Georgia Supreme Court could be appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court. Again, we believe that, in practical terms, it could take years rather than months for all legal issues to be finally resolved. As I was typing this, “ultimately” autocorrected to “untimely.” This shows that our computers are not completely devoid of wisdom and resourcefulness.

All of this means that Donald J. Trump is on a pretty clear trajectory to cement his reputation as the don of Teflon. It was only weeks, not months, that President Trump appeared to be headed to Doomsville, Georgia and Florida. This week, in addition to the Fani Willis controversy, Judge Eileen Cannon accused Trump of mishandling classified documents in Florida, citing significant complexities surrounding the handling of classified evidence in federal criminal cases. There is also news that the trial will be postponed indefinitely.

Now that the May 2024 trial date in the Florida case has been canceled and no new date has been set, we look forward to seeing President Trump’s ongoing criminal trial in New York and the only real possibility that it may proceed. You can open your eyes to a surprising reality. before the November election.

Those who believe this is justice have had a great week, but those who believe that deferred justice is just another brick torn from the foundations of our democracy should fear the days ahead.

Pulitzer Prize-nominated author Aaron Solomon, Ph.D.amplify. He teaches entrepreneurship at McGill University and the University of Pennsylvania, and was named to his Fastcase 50, which recognizes the world’s top 50 legal innovators. Aron is introduced in Newsweek, Fast Company, Fortune, Forbes, CBS News, CNBC, USA Today, ESPN, Abogados, Today’s Esquire, TechCrunch, The Hill, BuzzFeed, Venture Beat, The Independent, Fortune China, Yahoo!, ABA Journal, Law.com, boston globeand many other major publications around the world.

The views expressed in this article are the author’s own.