Trump Election Interference Case in Georgia Tossed by Judge (1)

A Georgia judge dismissed the last remaining criminal charges against President Donald Trump for allegedly interfering in the 2020 election, ending an ill-fated case that had led to the disqualification of the original prosecutor, Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis.

Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee tossed the case Wednesday after the new prosecutor, Peter Skandalakis, decided not to pursue the charges against Trump and other defendants.

Last year, a Georgia appeals court disqualified Willis and her office for an “appearance of impropriety” stemming from her romantic relationship with a former member of the prosecution team. Skandalakis, the executive director of the statewide Prosecuting Attorneys’ Council of Georgia, took over the case on Nov. 12 after several other prosecutors declined to pursue it.

“LAW and JUSTICE have prevailed in the Great State of Georgia, as the corrupt Fani Willis Witch Hunt against me, and other Great American Patriots, has been DISMISSED in its entirety,” Trump said in a social media post.

Trump had faced two federal criminal indictments before his election last year, but a US Justice Department special counsel dropped them given the department’s longstanding policy against prosecuting sitting presidents. Last year, Trump was convicted in Manhattan state court of falsifying business records to conceal hush money payments to a porn star. He’s appealed that verdict.

In Georgia, a sprawling racketeering indictment accused Trump and some of his key allies from the 2020 campaign of carrying out an election interference conspiracy under state law. Willis secured several early plea deals, but then the case became mired in controversy following the revelation of her relationship with special prosecutor Nathan Wade.

McAfee was critical of Willis’ conduct, but ruled last year that she and her office could continue to oversee the Trump prosecution after Wade resigned. McAfee faulted Willis for a “tremendous lapse in judgment” and questioned whether witnesses were honest on the stand about the timing of Willis and Wade’s relationship.

But a Georgia appeals court disqualified Willis and her office last December, leading to the review by Skandalakis.

“The political persecution of President Trump by disqualified DA Fani Willis is finally over,” Trump attorney Steve Sadow said. “This case should never have been brought. A fair and impartial prosecutor has put an end to this lawfare.”

(Updates with Trump social media post)

To contact the reporter on this story:
David Voreacos in New York at dvoreacos@bloomberg.net

To contact the editors responsible for this story:
Misyrlena Egkolfopoulou at megkolfopoul@bloomberg.net

Steve Stroth, Anthony Aarons

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