ATLANTA, Georgia — September 17, 2025— In a significant legal development, former President Donald Trump responded after Georgia’s Supreme Court refused to hear an appeal from Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis, solidifying her disqualification from prosecuting the state’s election interference case.AP News+1
Background
In 2023, Willis indicted Trump and 18 others under Georgia’s racketeering statute, accusing them of seeking to overturn the 2020 election results.Wikipedia+2The Guardian+2 Questions about Willis’s relationship with special prosecutor Nathan Wade have loomed since early 2024. Defendants argued the romantic relationship and possible financial entanglements created a conflict or, at the very least, an appearance of impropriety.Wikipedia+4Wikipedia+4The Guardian+4
In March 2024, Judge Scott McAfee ruled that either Willis or Wade must step aside. Wade resigned.Wikipedia+2ABC News+2 Later, in December 2024, Georgia’s Court of Appeals disqualified Willis and her entire office, finding that the earlier remedy did not sufficiently address the appearance-of-impropriety concerns.Wikipedia+211Alive+2
Trump’s Response
After the Georgia Supreme Court’s 4-3 decision to decline hearing Willis’s appeal—effectively letting the Court of Appeals ruling stand—Trump hailed the ruling.AP News+2The Guardian+2
He described the case as “a rigged case to start off with,” adding that Willis’s actions harmed “innocent people, patriots that love our country.” In his remarks, he went further:
“What Fani Willis did to innocent people… she should be put in jail.”AP News
Trump’s legal team, particularly attorney Steve Sadow, also welcomed the ruling. In their view, the disqualification was “justified” and necessary to restore confidence in the fairness of the proceedings.Politico+1
Willis’s Reaction & What’s Confirmed
Willis, for her part, expressed disappointment but pledged to cooperate.AP News+1 She agreed to transfer the case materials to the Prosecuting Attorneys’ Council of Georgia, which now has the responsibility to appoint a new prosecutor.AP News
Importantly, although Willis has been disqualified and will no longer oversee the case, the indictment against Trump and co-defendants is still in force. The case is not dismissed.Wikipedia+2AP News+2
Implications & What’s Next
New Prosecutor Needed: The Prosecuting Attorneys’ Council of Georgia must select someone to take over. That could be another district attorney, a state attorney, or outside counsel.AP News+1
Motion, Delay, or Dismissal? The new prosecutor will decide whether to proceed fully, narrow the case, or potentially move to dismiss some or all charges.AP News+1
Timing & Political Impact: Since Trump is now president again, there are legal and constitutional questions about whether a sitting president can be prosecuted in state court while in office. That could affect how, when, or if the case resumes.Wikipedia+1
Conclusion
Georgia’s Supreme Court has closed the door on Willis’s attempt to regain her role in one of the most scrutinized cases in recent U.S. political history. Trump and his allies see this as vindication. Willis accepts the ruling and is transferring authority. What remains is to see who the next prosecutor will be and how the case will proceed—or possibly stall—amid legal, political, and constitutional complexities.
Comments
choyon | September 17, 2025
good