Judge indicates he will rule within next 2 weeks on bid to remove Fani Willis from Trump case

[ificandream]

Source: Associated Press

BY KATE BRUMBACK AND ALANNA DURKIN RICHER
Updated 2:57 PM PST, March 1, 2024

ATLANTA (AP) — The judge overseeing the Georgia election interference case against Donald Trump indicated Friday that he would rule within the next two weeks on whether to remove Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis from the case over a romantic relationship with a top prosecutor.

(snip)

Attorneys for Trump and some of his co-defendants accused Willis and Wade of lying on the witness stand about when their relationship began, and told McAfee that keeping the district attorney on the case threatens to undermine the public’s confidence in the hugely consequential prosecution.

(snip)

Willis’ office, meanwhile, said the lawyers have failed to provide evidence that the district attorney benefited financially from the relationship with Wade, which the pair say ended last summer. Adam Abbate, a prosecutor with the DA’s office, accused the attorneys of pushing “speculation and conjecture” and trying to embarrass Willis with questions on the witness stand that Abbate said had nothing to do with the conflict of interest question. “It’s a desperate attempt to remove a prosecutor from a case for absolutely no reason, your honor, other than harassment and embarrassment,” he said.

McAfee said at the end of the hearing that there are “several legal issues to sort through, several factual determinations that I have to make,” adding that he “will be taking the time to make sure that I give this case the full consideration it’s due.”

Read more: https://apnews.com/article/fani-willis-trump-legal-arguments-georgia-0ede9d18ae072efd6d71f38ea4705beb

[moniss]

1. A couple more weeks and then if

he doesn't like that decision he appeals that one for a couple of months or so. Then if he doesn't like that decision he goes to the next level. Even if they do get a date scheduled then there will be more pre-trial motions, decisions, appeals etc. I get so sick of this blatant ability to drag things on.

Reminds me of the Blue Cross/Blue Shield restraint of competition case that's been going on since 2013. Even though a settlement was reached years ago a company, Home Depot, who might be affected in the future by the settlement has kept this from proceeding for years now. Here are now into the 2nd decade and the latest news is that there is another appeal period running now that won't be scheduled to end until mid-year. Maybe if HD or any other weasel doesn't appeal the policyholders might actually see a "refund of premiums" so to speak of a certain amount by the following year. But even that is optimistic because there is still the legal wrangling to be done about interest and how it was calculated and then the attorney fees etc. So those motions, hearings, decisions and appeals could go on for several years more.

The government case against Exxon for the Exxon Valdez fiasco lasted 26 years. Ken Paxton was indicted for securities fraud 5 years ago and the trial is finally scheduled to start in April. Don't be surprised if more delays are sought.