Donald Trump’s Legal Team Pushes Appeals in Georgia and New York Cases Ahead of Easter Weekend

(CTN News) – Donald Trump’s attorneys filed two legal challenges before Easter weekend.

His team is challenging a Georgia judge’s decision to grant Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis a stay in an election tampering case.

They also want to prevent the expansion of a gag order in a New York hush-money case, which would limit Mr. Trump’s remarks.

The Republican presidential contender faces four legal cases, two likely to be heard in court before the US elections.

Donald Trump’s Plea and Allegations

Donald Trump has pleaded not guilty in all instances, claiming that he is being politically persecuted.

Trump and his co-defendants in the Georgia case, where they are accused of plotting to overturn the 2020 election, have claimed that Ms. Willis benefited financially from an inappropriate romantic relationship with Nathan Wade, the prosecutor she chose to handle the case.

Judge Scott McAfee, who handles the case, oversaw two weeks of hectic hearings, including furious testimony from Ms Willis. She admitted to the relationship but disputed that she benefited financially.

Ultimately, the judge sided with Ms Willis, saying the relationship had the “appearance of impropriety” and ordering Mr Wade or Ms Willis to step down. Mr Wade did so within hours.

In a 51-page request filed on Friday before the Georgia Court of Appeals, Donald Trump and eight of his co-defendants contended that Ms. Willis should also be removed, which would significantly delay or dismiss the case.

Mr. Trump’s and other co-defendants’ lawyers claimed Mr Wade’s retirement did not adequately address the “appearance of impropriety” that “cast a pall over these entire proceedings”.

“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 stated in the court filing.

CBS News, the BBC‘s US partner, reports that Ms Willis plans to play an important role in the case. The judge has ordered it to proceed if Donald Trump appeals.

Meanwhile, in New York, Mr Trump is entangled in other legal challenges as he awaits the commencement of his first criminal trial for allegedly falsifying company records relating to a payment made to adult film star Stormy Daniels.

This Thursday, the justice in the case, Juan Merchan, granted the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office’s request to place a gag order on Donald Trump, prohibiting him from making statements against jurors and witnesses or intimidating court staff.

On Friday, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg attempted to clarify – and maybe broaden – the gag order that prevents Mr Trump from criticizing court employees and their families.

His move came after Mr Trump attacked Justice Merchan’s daughter in a social media post before the gag order was issued.

Mr. Bragg urged Justice Merchan to “make abundantly clear” that the gag order applied to “family members of the Court,” the district attorney, and others named in the gag order.

He also requested that the judge “warn” Donald Trump and “direct him to immediately desist.”

If Mr Trump does not, the prosecutor claims he should face sanctions.

The former president’s attorney, Todd Blanche, claimed that his client broke the gag order, claiming that the judge’s daughter was not involved.

He stated that there was nothing incorrect with the social media posts.

“Contrary to the People’s suggestion, the Court cannot ‘direct’ President Donald Trump to do something that the gag order does not require,” the judge ruled.