FULTON COUNTY, Ga. — People across the state of Georgia and the country are reacting to Judge Scott McAfee’s ruling in connection to the election interference case involving former President Donald Trump and more than a dozen others.
The ruling stated that either Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis or special prosecutor Nathan Wade had to step down from the case because of the appearance of impropriety.
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On Friday afternoon, Wade submitted his resignation. He wrote in part:
“I hereby offer my resignation, effective immediately, as Special Prosecutor for the Fulton County District Attorney’s Office.
Although the court found that “the Defendants failed to meet their burden of proving that the District Attorney acquired an actual conflict of interest,” I am offering my resignation in the interest of democracy…”.
Willis accepted the resignation.
Channel 2′s Audrey Washington spoke with former Georgia NAACP president James Woodall and former DeKalb County District Attorney Robert James to get their takes on the decision.
“The voters and citizens of Georgia ultimately care about whether or not the former president is in fact found guilty or not of these offenses, and that’s really why we are here,” said Woodall.
Woodall also weighed in on optics and whether criticisms surrounding Willis’ relationship with Wade would in any way taint the case moving forward.
“There were improper things done in this case on the part of our district attorney while, at the same time, there were very racist, anti-Black ways that this played out in the public view,” he explained.
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James said the co-defendants in the case will do whatever it takes to be found not guilty.
“They’re going to say that they targeted her because she’s African American. I don’t know if that is necessarily true, but I do know she was, that they will do whatever they have to to get an acquittal in this case,” James added.
Following the ruling former President Trump’s attorney hinted at an appeal.
“There was not evidence rather to suggest or determine that an actual appearance of conflict existed. So, for the burden of the defendant that brought forth these motions to say there was a conflict of interest, there was financial gain that wasn’t proven time and time again, so I don’t believe that the court of appeals would actually take this case up,” Woodall said.
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