Lawyers for former President Donald Trump asked an appeals court in Georgia to remove Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis from the prosecution of Trump and 18 co-defendants over what they called “racial animus.”
The filing (via the Washington Post) refers to a speech Willis made in January, after Trump co-defendant Mike Roman alleged — correctly, it turned out — that Willis had been having a romantic relationship with fellow prosecutor Nathan Wade, and that the two had conducted improper and unethical financial transactions as part of their relationship.
Willis gave a speech in a predominantly black church in which she accused the defendants of racism — and described them in racial terms.
Trump’s attorneys criticized the speech at the time, in joining Roman’s filing.
In the new filing, Trump’s attorneys note:
The State’s “interpretation” of the speech (i.e., that Willis was vague, or that it was debatable to whom she referred) is disingenuous at best. Willis’ purpose was plain: to obscure her misconduct by falsely accusing the defense of racism. Willis’ strategic use of pronouns was neither innocuous nor vague—Willis repeatedly used “them,” “they,” and linked these terms to her antagonist: “white male republicans.” … The only “white male republicans” included in Willis’ perception of “[God’s] work” (her prosecution of this case) were President Trump and the other defendants. Contrary to the State’s attempt to elevate form over substance, “so many others” (plural) could not refer only to Roman (singular).
Willis used these terms as insidious, calculated references to President Trump and the other defendants. Willis knew what she was doing and got precisely the reaction she wanted: the overwhelming media coverage of her false and pernicious subterfuge would slander the defendants before the entire nation. Willis calculated this result despite her duty to protect the presumption of innocence, due process, and a fair trial.
…
Willis flagrantly violated the Georgia Rules of Professional Conduct, and her forensic misconduct was calculated and egregious. Willis must therefore be disqualified.
Fulton County Judge Scott McAfee ruled in March that Willis could only remain on the case if Wade resigned.
Wade did so, but Judge McAfee allowed Trump’s legal team to appeal his ruling and to ask that Willis also be removed.
Joel B. Pollak is Senior Editor-at-Large at Breitbart News and the host of Breitbart News Sunday on Sirius XM Patriot on Sunday evenings from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. ET (4 p.m. to 7 p.m. PT). He is the author of “”The Agenda: What Trump Should Do in His First 100 Days,” available for pre-order on Amazon. He is also the author of “The Trumpian Virtues: The Lessons and Legacy of Donald Trump’s Presidency,” now available on Audible. He is a winner of the 2018 Robert Novak Journalism Alumni Fellowship. Follow him on Twitter at @joelpollak.
