Georgia appellate court sets October hearing in Trump bid to disqualify DA Willis

ATLANTA — The state Court of Appeals won’t hear former President Trump’s appeal of a lower court ruling in the Georgia election interference case until October, multiple news outlets reported Monday.

The October hearing date the appellate court has set for Trump’s attempt to remove Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis from prosecuting the case all but guarantees the trial will not take place until after the Nov. 5 election.

Trump’s legal team sought Willis’ removal after she admitted a prior romantic relationship with attorney Nathan Wade, who she hired to lead the prosecution.

Fulton County Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee ruled in April that Willis could remain on the case but only if Wade stepped down, which he did a few hours after the decision was handed down.

A Fulton grand jury indicted Trump and 18 codefendants last August, charging the Republican with participating in a conspiracy to overturn the 2020 presidential election in Georgia, which saw Joe Biden become the first Democrat to carry the Peach State since 1992.

Trump also faces federal charges arising from his role in the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol and his retaining of classified government documents at his Mar-a-Lago club in Florida after leaving office.

Last week, the former president was convicted in New York City of 34 felonies for falsifying business records in connection with payments of hush money to ex-porn star Stormy Daniels to cover up a sexual relationship that was threatening to become public shortly before he won the presidency in 2016. Trump is schedule to be sentenced on July 11, four days before the start of the Republican National Convention.

The weekslong trial that ended last week appears to be the only one of the four criminal cases against Trump likely to be tried before voters go the polls to decide between Trump, the presumptive Republican nominee, and Biden, who is seeking re-election.

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