A judge on Monday denied former President Donald Trump’s second legal attempt to quash the investigation of Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis into his efforts to challenge the 2020 election results in Georgia.
Willis is reportedly ready to move forward, and is anticipated to bring forth indictments against Trump within the next week or so.
Willis’ impending charges are based on allegations that Trump engaged in racketeering when he called Georgia officials with appeals for election fraud investigations.
This call was later doctored and released by The Washington Post, though many have since disputed the authenticity of this text.
Nonetheless, orange barriers were set up outside of Trump Tower on Thursday night, leading some to speculate that an indictment could be forthcoming.
On Monday, Judge Robert McBurney harshly criticized former President Donald Trump in his ruling regarding the motion filed by Trump’s legal team, seeking to disqualify Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis, and quash the findings of a special grand jury convened to review evidence related to her criminal investigation.
McBurney noted that the argument made by Trump was “insufficient because, while being the subject (or even target) of a highly publicized criminal investigation is likely an unwelcome and unpleasant experience, no court has ever held that this status alone provides a basis for interference with or halting of investigations.”
The denial marks yet another setback for Trump as he continues to face legal challenges in Georgia; these include his unsuccessful attempt earlier this month to persuade the Georgia Supreme Court to grant similar relief, as well as an upcoming hearing on August 10 regarding another motion filed by his legal team with the Georgia Superior Court.
