Trump legal team continues efforts to disqualify Georgia DA as potential state charges loom

(CNN) — Former President Donald Trump’s legal team in Georgia continues its efforts to disqualify Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis from continuing her 2020 election interference investigation as potential charges loom in the state.

In a new 650-page filing in Fulton County Superior Court, Trump’s lawyers ramped up the attacks on Willis, a Democrat. CNN has previously reported that Willis is considering filing racketeering and conspiracy charges related to efforts by Trump and his allies to overturn Georgia’s 2020 election. The prosecutor’s office declined to comment.

In the filing, Trump’s lawyers claim that because of Willis’ “conflict of interest” as a political candidate, she is barred from pursuing the case.

“The district attorney has personally retweeted requests for followers and campaign donations that referenced her prosecution of this investigation,” Trump’s lawyers argued in the lengthy petition.

Trump’s legal team in Georgia filed a petition last week asking the court to throw out the evidence gathered during the investigation, disqualify Willis and release Judge Robert McBurney from presiding over the case.

Earlier this week, the Georgia Supreme Court rejected a similar bid from Trump.

Georgia’s Supreme Court said in a five-page opinion that Trump had failed to demonstrate the “extraordinary circumstances” that would require their intervention to deter prosecutors from ever using that material in future criminal or civil proceedings.

In addition, an Atlanta judicial circuit judge has ordered Fulton County Superior Court judges, including McBurney, to refrain from overseeing Trump’s efforts to essentially shut down the criminal investigation in Fulton County.

The circuit judge ordered that the judges in Georgia’s 7th District, which covers northwestern Georgia, will now preside over Trump’s petition against Willis. The order invited the newly appointed judges to arrange a courtroom in Fulton County “if necessary,” so it’s still unclear where future hearings on the case will be held.

Willis has indicated she plans to announce the charges in August.