OPINION: This article may contain commentary which reflects the author's opinion.
The judge presiding over Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis’ case against former President Donald Trump in Georgia suggested on Friday that she could face some additional disciplinary action.
Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee warned Willis could face a gag order that would prevent her from discussing the case in public, as reported by The Epoch Times.
“The time may well have arrived for an order preventing the State from mentioning the case in any public forum to prevent prejudicial publicity, but that is not the motion presently before the Court,” the judge wrote in his order, referencing a racially charged speech Willis made to a black church which McAfee described as “legally improper.”
The outlet added:
Her speech came just days after allegations surfaced that she engaged in an improper relationship with special counsel Nathan Wade, whom she appointed to head the Trump election interference case in Georgia.
During the speech, Ms. Willis invoked the “race card” without citing evidence of racial animus and criticized a Fulton County Commissioner “and so many others” for criticizing her decision to hire Mr. Wade.
“In these public and televised comments, the District Attorney complained that a Fulton County Commissioner ‘and so many others’ questioned her decision to hire SADA Wade. When referring to her detractors throughout the speech, she frequently utilized the plural ‘they,’” McAfee wrote.
“The State argues the speech was not aimed at any of the Defendants in this case. Maybe so. But maybe not. Therein lies the danger of public comment by a prosecuting attorney,” his order continued.
“By including a reference to ‘so many others’ on the heels of Defendant Roman’s motion which instigated the entire controversy, the District Attorney left that question open for the public to consider,” he added.
“The Court cannot find that this speech crossed the line to the point where the Defendants have been denied the opportunity for a fundamentally fair trial, or that it requires the District Attorney’s disqualification,” he stated.
“But it was still legally improper. Providing this type of public comment creates dangerous waters for the District Attorney to wade further into,” the judge wrote.
Noted constitutional expert and Harvard Law School professor emeritus Alan Dershowitz had some harsh words for Willis on Friday after the judge refused to disqualify her from the case.
McAfee ruled that Willis will remain on the Trump case but added that Willis and special prosecutor Nathan Wade’s once-romantic relationship created an appearance of conflict of interest in the racketeering case and, as a result, the prosecutors were prohibited from overseeing the case going forward unless Willis or Wade resigned.
Wade resigned later Friday.
In an interview with Newsmax TV, though, Dershowitz shredded Willis and said that there was “overwhelming” evidence that she likely perjured herself on the stand by lying about when her relationship with Wade began and that she benefitted financially from it.
“This ought to be a criminal investigation of Fani Willis and the two witnesses. I think we are well beyond disqualification,” Dershowitz said, adding that he didn’t know “if the judge would actually have the courage” to make such a ruling.
WATCH:
Alan Dershowitz stated the evidence is overwhelming to criminally prosecute Fani Willis:
• They had an affair before she hired him (perjury)
• She benefited financially (embezzlement)
• He was not qualified to do the job earning $700,000“This ought to be a criminal… pic.twitter.com/3A91vWq25l
— Tony Seruga (@TonySeruga) March 15, 2024
“[T]he established record now highlights a significant appearance of impropriety that infects the current structure of the prosecution team — an appearance that must be removed through the State’s selection of one of two options. The Defendants’ motions are therefore granted in part,” McAfee wrote in his 23-page ruling.
Meanwhile, House Republican leaders declared they will launch an investigation into Willis following the discovery of a letter she sent to a Democrat-controlled committee soliciting aid for her case against Trump.
Just the News reported earlier in the week that the probe was launched after GOP investigators discovered a letter from Willis “in 2021 asked for the House Democrats” on the Nancy Pelosi-picked January 6th Committee “to send her evidence that would further her prosecution of Trump.”
