Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis is urging the Georgia Court of Appeals to reinstate several election interference charges against Donald Trump and his co-defendants that were previously dismissed by a trial court judge. In a filing made by Willis, she contends that Fulton County Judge Scott McAfee “erred” when he quashed six charges related to Solicitation of Violation of Oath by a public officer.
Judge’s Initial Ruling
In March, Judge McAfee ruled that the indictment failed to provide sufficient detail regarding which parts of the oath the defendants allegedly tried to get public officials to violate. McAfee argued that this lack of detail was a “fatal” flaw and consequently dismissed three charges Trump faced, reducing the original 13 counts down to 10. The judge later removed two additional charges, bringing the total to eight.
DA Fani Willis’ Argument
Willis disputes McAfee’s decision in her latest filing, asserting that the indictment “more than sufficiently” outlines the details of the charges. She emphasized that the indictment included vital context about the solicitations at the heart of the case, including who was solicited, when the requests were made, and the nature of those requests. Willis argued that when considered as a whole, the indictment provides a comprehensive narrative of the alleged actions by Trump and his co-defendants.
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“The indictment included an abundance of context and factual allegations about the solicitations at issue, including when the requests were made, to whom the requests were made, and the manner in which the requests were made,” the filing read.
Appeal for Reinstatement
The filing asks the appeals court to reverse Judge McAfee’s decision and reinstate three of the charges against Trump. These charges are part of a larger racketeering case, where Trump and 18 others are accused of attempting to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election in Georgia. All of the accused pleaded not guilty to the charges last year, though four defendants later accepted plea deals in exchange for agreeing to testify.
Ongoing Legal Battles
The reinstatement request adds yet another layer to Trump’s legal troubles. In a separate appeal, Trump is challenging the court’s decision to allow DA Fani Willis to continue overseeing the case despite concerns over her relationship with a prosecutor on her staff. The Georgia Court of Appeals has scheduled oral arguments for Trump’s appeal on December 5, after the November elections, ensuring that the case continues to cast a long shadow over the political landscape.
