Breaking: Charges Against Trump Dismissed
The judge presiding over the election interference case involving Donald Trump and others issued an order on Wednesday, dismissing six charges, including three against the former president.
These charges were related to alleged efforts by Trump and his associates to persuade elected representatives in the state to invalidate President Joe Biden’s victory and instead award its electors to Trump, as reported by CNBC.
The charges accused Trump and five other defendants of "solicitation of violation of oath by public officer," but lacked specific details about the oaths allegedly violated, leaving the defendants and their legal teams without sufficient information to mount a defense.
Judge Scott McAfee, in his order, concurred with defense attorneys that the indictment was too vague, compelling him to dismiss it, CNBC noted.
McAfee's decision leaves room for prosecutors to potentially re-file the charges in the future, according to Axios.
Among the dismissed counts, one related to Trump's attempt to persuade the speaker of the Georgia House of Representatives to convene a special session to appoint electors favoring him in the Electoral College. Another involved Trump and his former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows allegedly urging Georgia's secretary of state to influence certified election returns. The third dismissed count accused Trump of pressuring the secretary of state to decertify the election.
While more than half of the charges originally filed against Trump in the Georgia case remain, Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis faces additional challenges this week.
A decision is expected on whether Willis should be disqualified from the prosecution due to an alleged improper romantic relationship with special prosecutor Nathan Wade. One defendant indicted in the case against Trump and his supporters has sought Willis's removal, citing her relationship with Wade, who is undergoing a divorce. Despite their denials of involvement at the time Willis hired him, cellphone records presented to the court suggest otherwise, with evidence of thousands of calls and texts between the two.
Willis faced further setbacks earlier this month when she learned that she would face multiple opponents in her bid for re-election as district attorney.