富尔顿县法官斯科特·迈克菲周三为前总统唐纳德·特朗普扫清了道路对法官的裁决提出上诉这最终使富尔顿县达法尼·威利斯继续参与选举干预案。
迈克菲批准了特朗普和他的一些共同被告的联合请求,以获得立即审查证书-这使他们现在可以将裁决上诉到佐治亚州上诉法院。
迈克菲在命令中表示,该命令“对案件至关重要,应该立即进行审查。”
现在将由佐治亚州上诉法院决定是否受理此案。
迈克菲表示,他打算在特朗普和他的共同被告上诉期间继续推进此案。
“法院打算继续处理许多其他无关的未决审前动议,无论申请是否在提交后45天内获得批准,即使上诉法院加快了任何后续上诉,”该命令称。
特朗普的律师在一份声明中称迈克菲的举动“意义重大”。
特朗普的律师史蒂夫·萨多(Steve Sadow)表示:“辩方乐观地认为,上诉审查将导致案件被驳回,地方检察官被取消资格。”
地方检察官办公室在一份声明中强调了迈克菲公司继续推进此案的决定,称他们将“尽快将(此案)推向审判。”
发言人杰夫·迪桑蒂斯在一份声明中说:“由于该案在上诉期间没有暂停审理,本办公室将努力尽快将其推向审判。”“我们将把对上诉事宜的评论限制在我们在简报过程中向上诉法院提交的内容上。”
特朗普干预选举案的首席检察官内森·韦德(Nathan Wade)周五在迈克菲做出裁决后辞去特别检察官一职。韦德辞职几小时前,迈克菲拒绝直接取消威利斯的资格,但裁定她或韦德必须退出此案,因为威利斯和韦德之间的浪漫关系“明显存在不当行为”。
Judge allows Trump to appeal Fani Willis disqualification ruling
Fulton County Judge Scott McAfee on Wednesday cleared the way for former President Donald Trump toappeal the judge's rulingthat ultimately kept Fulton County DA Fani Willis on the election interference case.
McAfee granted the joint request from Trump and some of his codefendants to obtain a certificate of immediate review -- which allows them now to appeal the ruling up to the Georgia Court of Appeals.
McAfee in his order said the order "is of such importance to the case that immediate review should be had."
It will now be up to the Georgia Court of Appeals to determine whether or not to take the issue.
Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis looks on during a hearing on the Georgia election interferen...Show more
Alex Slitz/AP
McAfee said he intends to keep moving forward with the case while Trump and his codefendants 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 order said.
Trump's attorney in a statement called the move from McAfee "highly significant."
"The defense is optimistic that appellate review will lead to the case being dismissed and the DA being disqualified," said Steve Sadow, Trump's attorney.
The DA's office in a statement highlighted the McAfee's decision to keep the case moving, saying they will "work to move [the case] forward to trial as quickly as possible."
"As the case is not stayed during the appeal, this office will work to move it forward to trial as quickly as possible," spokesperson Jeff Disantis said in a statement. "We will limit our comment on the appellate matter to what we file with the Court of Appeals during the briefing process."
Nathan Wade, the lead prosecutor in Trump's election interference case, resigned Friday as special prosecutor following a ruling by McAfee. Wade's resignation came hours after McAfee declined to outright disqualify Willis, but ruled either she or Wade must step aside from the case due to a "significant appearance of impropriety" stemming from a romantic relationship between Willis and Wade.