Yesterday, Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis short press conference revealed that Trump and the 18 others indicted in Georgia’s election fraud investigation may go to trial as early as six months’ time. This move comes after Governor Brian Kemp appointed Judge Scott McAfee to preside over the case.
Should Willis’ recommendation become reality, the trial’s start date would fall right in the midst of the November elections, sending political waves through the nation. However, such a discussion is premature, as the final date hinges on Judge McAfee’s decision.
McAfee’s appointment marks the dawn of a new era of judicial oversight in the case. McAfee previously served as the Georgia Inspector General, charged with searching out fraud and corruption within Georgia’s executive branch. Prior to that, he worked for three and a half years as a federal prosecutor, an assistant district attorney in Barrow County, and six months in private practice.
Though short on the bench, McAfee has already made a significant ruling against the case’s pro-Trump lawyer, Lin Wood. In June, McAfee fined Wood $5,000 for violating an order against insulting his former legal associates, including threatening to fine him $15,000 for future violations. Such a stern action has the potential to heavily affect the other defendants in the case.
Until then, the nation’s citizens wait to see how McAfee will handle the case. If Willis’ prediction of a mid-year start date comes to pass, the trial’s outcome will have a strong say in whether Trump returns to the White House or embarks on new adventures.
In the meantime, Judge McAfee’s strong convictions and willingness to punish flagrant violations of court orders signal an impartial and decisive judiciary that transcends political titles. It is up to McAfee to ensure that all actors are held to the same high standards of legal conduct and that no one, regardless of social status, is unfairly treated in the Georgia courtroom.
In a press conference, DA Willis gave Trump and all his fellow accused until noon on 25 August to surrender to police.
She added that she hoped to get a trial date within the next six months and planned to try all 19 defendants together.— Sky News (@SkyNews) August 15, 2023