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Trump Challenges Two Cases Legally

Donald Trump's lawyers filed two legal objections before Easter.

 

A Georgia judge's decision to retain Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis in an election subversion case is being challenged by his legal team.

 

Also, in a hush-money case in New York, they want to halt the extension of a gag order that would restrict Mr. Trump's speech.

 

There are four lawsuits against the Republican presidential candidate, with the two most likely to go to trial before the US elections.

 

Mr Trump has asserted his innocence in each of the charges, claiming he is the victim of political persecution.

 

In the Georgia case, where they are charged with attempting to revoke the 2020 election, Mr Trump and his associates have said that Ms Willis reaped financial benefits from an inappropriate sexual connection with Nathan Wade, the prosecutor she engaged in handling the case.

 

The case's supervisor, Judge Scott McAfee, presided over two weeks of tumultuous hearings during which Ms Willis delivered passionate evidence. She came clean about being in a relationship but denied ever making any money off of it.

 

Despite stating that the couple's relationship had the "appearance of impropriety" and demanding that either Mr Wade or Ms Willis resign, the court ultimately sided with Ms Willis. Within hours, Mr. Wade had accomplished this.

 

On Friday, Mr. Trump and eight of his co-defendants submitted a 51-page request to the Georgia Court of Appeals, arguing that Ms. Willis should also be removed from the case. This would cause the lawsuit to be either dismissed or severely delayed.

 

Mr. Trump and the attorneys for the other defendants said that the "appearance of impropriety" that "cast a pall over these entire proceedings" was not adequately addressed by Mr. Wade's retirement.

 

"The trial court was bound by existing case law to not only require Wade's disqualification (which occurred) but also to require the disqualification of DA Willis and her entire office," the lawyers said in the court document.

 

As he awaits his first criminal trial, Mr. Trump is entangled in other legal fights in New York. The trial is over allegations that he falsified company documents about a payment made to Stormy Daniels, an adult film actress.

 

Juan Merchan, the judge presiding over the case, approved the Manhattan district attorney's request to place a gag order on Mr. Trump this week. The order prohibits him from intimidating court personnel or making remarks against witnesses or jurors.

 

The gag order prohibiting Mr Trump from insulting court employees and their families was requested to be expanded upon and clarified by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg on Friday.

 

Prior to the issuance of the gag order, Mr Trump had attacked Justice Merchan's daughter in a social media post, prompting his move.

 

Justice Merchan was requested by Mr Bragg to "make abundantly clear" that the gag order included the district attorney, "family members of the Court," and others named in the order.

 

The court should "warn" Mr. Trump and "direct him to desist immediately," he pleaded with the judge.

 

The prosecution maintains that Mr. Trump should be punished if he fails to do so.

 

The attorney representing the ex-president, Todd Blanche, rejected the accusation that his client had broken the gag order and said that the judge's daughter had no involvement.

 

No problems with the social media postings were indicated in his writing.

 

"Contrary to the People's suggestion, the Court cannot 'direct' President Trump to do something that the gag order does not require," Mr. Trump stated.