A Fulton County judge’s ruling has led to calls for the resignation of District Attorney Fani Willis, who is prosecuting a high-profile election interference case against former President Donald Trump and his allies.
The ruling stated that Willis’ former lover, prosecutor Nathan Wade, must be removed from the case due to a conflict of interest. The judge sharply criticized both Willis and Wade for their questionable actions but ultimately allowed Willis to continue as lead prosecutor as long as she fired Wade.
Despite the ruling, there is growing pressure for Willis to step down voluntarily. MSNBC legal analyst Andrew Weissmann, known for his role in the partisan Trump-Russia investigation, called the ruling a “fatal blow” to Willis and stated that she should recuse herself in order to preserve the credibility of the case.
“The key is how to go forward because clearly Wade is off, but I think that this is such a huge body blow, almost a fatal blow to Fani Willis,” he said during an appearance on “Morning Joe.”
“I think the way forward is she has to voluntarily recuse herself. I don’t know that she has it in her, but I think she has to say I’m going to appoint a chief assistant who is going to oversee this case. She clearly has no credibility with this judge.”
Meanwhile, CNN’s chief legal affairs correspondent Paula Reid sees the ruling as a “gift” to Trump and his co-defendants, as it gives them an opportunity to fight the case in both the courts and the court of public opinion.
CNN legal analyst Elie Honig also pointed out the damaging implications of the judge’s ruling, saying that for a normal prosecutor, any one of the statements made by the judge would be a “career-ender.”
“Any one of these statements by a judge would be a career-ender. For a normal prosecutor to have an on-the-record finding that there are reasonable questions that you lied under oath that would be devastating. … The bottom line, the DA survives, but not without serious bruising.”
“Who’s going to police the policewoman… Who’s going to hold her to account when she has allegedly committed a felony?” @megynkelly with @PhilHollowayEsq on a Bar complaint against Fani Willis potentially causing her more trouble. pic.twitter.com/0ZQ3Uk3Vh4
— The Megyn Kelly Show (@MegynKellyShow) March 20, 2024
The ruling has also brought criticism from the left, with many voicing concerns about the credibility of the case moving forward. This is not surprising, as the RICO charges against Trump have long been seen by many as politically motivated and designed to stop him from potentially running for President again.
Overall, the ruling has left Willis with a bruised reputation and questions about her ethics and credibility. As a result, the case against Trump and his allies will likely face even more scrutiny, not just in the courts but also in the public eye. The optics of this situation are certainly not in Willis’ favor, and it remains to be seen how she will handle the mounting pressure for her resignation.
Fani Willis had an actual conflict of interest. It is absolutely illegal for a prosecutor to have a financial stake in a criminal prosecution.
She hired her secret, unqualified boyfriend, paid him from Fulton County taxpayer funds, then took lavish vacations with him. She… pic.twitter.com/lo1yZUoFEi
— 🇺🇸 Mike Davis 🇺🇸 (@mrddmia) March 19, 2024
