Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis has been disqualified from prosecuting the high-profile case against former President Donald Trump and 18 others over alleged efforts to overturn the 2020 election. The disqualification stemmed from her hiring of former romantic partner Nathan Wade as lead prosecutor, which the court ruled created an “appearance of impropriety.” Wade has since resigned. Though the charges against Trump remain, Willis and her office no longer have authority to proceed in the case. Willis is appealing the disqualification to the Georgia Supreme Court.
Meanwhile, Georgia Governor Brian Kemp signed Senate Bill 244, which allows defendants to seek reimbursement of legal fees if a prosecutor is disqualified for misconduct and charges are dismissed. Trump’s lawyer, Steven Sadow, called it a turning point for accountability. Trump has spent an estimated $4.2 million on legal defense but would only be eligible for reimbursement if charges are dropped.
Separately, Willis was ordered to pay over $54,000 in attorney fees for violating Georgia’s Open Records Act in relation to document requests by co-defendant Michael Roman’s legal team.