Atlanta, GA – A Georgia judge has dismissed the criminal case brought against former President Donald Trump by Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis, ruling that her office was improperly involved in the investigation.
In her ruling, Judge Robert McBurney found that Willis’s office had engaged in “prosecutorial misconduct” by working with a special grand jury that was empaneled to investigate Trump’s alleged interference in the 2020 presidential election. The judge said that Willis’s office had “overstepped its authority” by subpoenaing Trump’s allies and pressuring witnesses to testify.
“The court finds that the District Attorney’s office has failed to show that it has acted with the integrity required of a prosecutor,” Judge McBurney wrote in his ruling. “The District Attorney’s office has engaged in a clear and persistent pattern of misconduct that has undermined the integrity of the proceedings.”
Willis’s office had alleged that Trump had pressured Georgia election officials to change the results of the 2020 election, which he lost to Joe Biden. The special grand jury that Willis empaneled heard testimony from several witnesses, including Trump’s former Chief of Staff Mark Meadows.
However, Judge McBurney found that the special grand jury had been “improperly convened” and that Willis’s office had “failed to follow the proper procedures for empaneling a special grand jury.” The judge also said that Willis’s office had “failed to provide sufficient evidence to support the allegations against Trump.”
Willis has vowed to appeal the judge’s ruling. She said in a statement that she is “deeply disappointed” by the decision and that she believes that Trump “should be held accountable for his actions.”
“We will continue to pursue our investigation and will not rest until justice is served,” Willis said.
Trump’s attorneys have hailed the judge’s ruling as a victory and have said that it exonerates Trump from any wrongdoing.
“This is a complete vindication for President Trump,” said Trump attorney Alina Habba. “The judge’s ruling makes it clear that there was no basis for these charges and that the District Attorney’s office was politically motivated.”
The dismissal of Willis’s case is a setback for efforts to hold Trump accountable for his actions related to the 2020 election. However, it is possible that Willis or another prosecutor could bring new charges against Trump in the future.