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A conflict because the big question here is whether there was an actual conflict. The defendants were alleging that fani willis and not only that she had this romantic relationship with a lead prosecutor on the trump case . Case, but then she also benefited financially and he had to decide the judge had to sort of do this analysis. Is it enough that its just looks bad, but theres an appearance of a conflict or did they need to prove to the defendants at trump and his codefendants need to prove that there was an actual conflict now, again, i say that day fani willis can stay on this case. It also appears that the judge is saying that this appearance issue needs to be addressed before this can go forward. So this appears to be a pretty nuanced a ruling, but the headline is that the District Attorney at her office can stay on this case, but we continue to read to learn more about exactly what the judge is saying, about how you need to address the appearance of impropriety right . Paula reid with the headline there and it is a big one which is that District Attorney fani willis. Can stay on the case. She is not disqualified. Le holding her office is not disqualified. The Fulton County District Attorney office and continue to prosecute these crimes. That is the bottom line. Biggest takeaway here, fani willis, can remain on the case. It sounds like the judge has found there was not an actual Conflict Of Interests, not a provable financial Conflict Of Interest important to keep in mind, the defendants, donald trump, and the other charge defendants, theyre the ones who bore the burden of proof here. They had to prove there was a financial Conflict Of Interests and apparently, based on our initial readings of this ruling, they have not carried that burden. Now well see if the judge has some other sort of measures that he suggests will see if he has any harsh words for fani willis or her office, but yes, the bottom line is, the da stays on the case, hence, her office stays on the case. Hence, it can continue to move forward. And as we said before, they dont have a set trial date yet. The da has asked for a trial in august. I dont think thats remotely realistic, but it will continue. It will not be put into this sort of Suspended Animation that otherwise would have gone into stay with us right now. Were gonna go to paula reid. Shes got some more information youre going through this right now looking through the judges ruling and there are some harsh words in it, we understand there are two ellies point. The judge, while he has not removed fani willis from the case, he does have some considerable criticism for her. Hes saying, look, without sufficient evidence. So the District Attorney the acquired a personal stake in this prosecution or that her Financial Arrangements had any impact on the case. So there he is addressing the fact that they didnt really prove that she benefited from wade being on this case when she was in a romantic relationship, she said the defendants claims of an actual conflict must be denied. Lets look, you didnt prove that she had any sort of benefit that she received from the money nathan wade is making from this case. But he said this finding is by no means any indication that the court condones this tremendous lapse in judgment or the unprofessional manner of the District Attorneys testimony during the evidentiary hearing rather it is the undersigned the judges opinion that jure law does not permit the finding of an actual conflict for simply making bad choices. So this is pretty significant. I mean, he has suggesting that she or he is saying that he had a tremendous lapse in judgment that she was unprofessional when she testified. Remember, she was getting pretty contentious, pretty fiery with the Defense Attorney insisting that she was not on trial when in fact, they were asking your questions because the judge was assessing whether she needed to be disqualified. And then also saying here that she made bad choices and look, even though shes going to stay on the case all of this, especially this language from the judge and were just skimming the opinion right now. Im sure theres theres likely more. Its really a gift to former President Trump and his codefendants because theyre not only going to fight this case on the merits, the fighting in the court of Public Opinion optics here matter. He has tried to undermine trust in the Justice System. And if you have a judge who is overseeing a case, calling the prosecutor again unprofessional, saying that she made a bad decision, she had a lapse in judgment that is a lot of ammunition gen. For the former president and his codefendants well, thank you so much. Paul is going to continue to bring us the headlines. Mall stick close and just let us know. We also have Michael Moore from us attorney joining us as well. Michael, your take on what the nuance as paula has laid out . The headline fani willis, not disqualified from the case, not dismissed from the case. Her office is still handling this case. But the words and the criticisms coming from the judge about her unprofessional manner, as he says, it yeah. Well, im glad to be with you. This was a selfinflicted wound that should have been healed and taken care of months ago. But basically they just let it get infected. Now to this place where the District Attorney has been called by a court but. She has to practice in front of frac, then her office has practice in front of ghg has been called now and and this friday, they will. It is a gift to the defense, i believe is they will use this as they talk about whether or not the case has married or whether or not it was brought for other reasons, whether or not its professional prosecutor and all that. Were going to hear all that down the road, but were also going to hear i expect comments from the georgia legislature. Is they have moved forward with their Panel Inquiry into her conduct. Were going to hear now this finding echoed around the halls of congress by the likes of people like jim jordan and things like that. So this is not good day for the state and its not a good look for but remember, this could have been remedy as we go through the older now, this initial appearance been nipped in the bud, and i dont know why it was left to fester but now its basically cause gangrene of the limb and its the judges say, look, were were moving and if were Going Forward and thats where were at today. Well, not so much. Right. Shes allowed to continue prosecuting the case. The case is still on the das office. So there is an element of the i understand that politically, it is now loaded with a lot of comments from a judge here. But the case, the alternative, michael, was that this judge judge could have said this case no longer can be prosecuted by the Fulton Countys da that would have put it into a complete limbo where no one may have been prosecuting it for months and months and months now this this is the same judge. Now thats going to oversee this case. And this is not this is not what you wont go it into a judge if youre a prosecutor, a lawyer, honest. I have a case where youve already been called unprofessional. It so while and i dont think politically shes got to worry. I mean, shes a democratic county. Shes shes like by many people in our personal and professional capacity. I dont think shes got to worry about whether or not somebody runs a guest are and uses this as some big trump, but that theyre gonna leader at the polls. This is about how the case looks Going Forward and now whether or not when a representation is made by the stated court, whether or not the judge believes that and so this is pikes the entire picture. The case may go forward. I mean, the case could have gone forward anyway, the prosecutor Attorneys Council could appoint wanted somebody, but this case, i will tell you. I dont believe is Going Forward before the election. It doesnt of fani willis has prosecuted or the prosecutor thats appointed from wherever this case is not going to move forward and away. And i think the judge is saying youve got to clean up your house before you if were going to deal with this case. So its not it is not a good thing. No lawyer wants to be in front of a judge, argued motions asking for things denied hey were going to jump in here, michael. Michael, were just going to jump in because i gotta get back to paula reid has got some more information from the actual ruling fallen yeah. Look, i do agree with michaels point there about the timing on when this case can go forward, fani willis originally said she wanted to bring it in august this process to attempt to disqualify are a certain eaten, eaten up some time. But now theres another issue she needs to address and that is the fate of the lead prosecutor for this investigation, nathan wade, who she had at a romantic relationship with the judge here, just lucky had some harsh words for fani willis also has some pretty Strong Language related to mr. Wade. Here he calls wades testimony his explanation for some incorrect formation that he submitted, quote, unpersuasive. He also describes his conduct as showing a willingness to wrongfully conceal his relationship with the District Attorney. The judge said, as the case moves forward reasonable members of the public could easily be left to wonder whether the Financial Exchanges between wade and the District Attorney have continued resulting in some form of benefit to the district District Attorney or whether the romantic relationship has resumed. I think you read between the lines, you lied once you could potentially lie again or could reasonably think that the District Attorney its not exercising her independent professional judgment, totally free of any compromising influences. He says, and heres the key quote. As long as wade remains on this case, the unnecessary perception and will persist basically saying because of what has happened during this process, what theyve learned, the fact that mr. Wade was not always honest with the court. He said this is going to hind this cloud of distrust over this case and he is suggesting that nathan wade needs to be removed now he does not, as i understand it, order him to be removed, but hes walking up to line is saying hes hes gotta go. Now, some people have previously called for nathan wade and Fani Willis Step aside. Neither one of them have done that. Neither one of them have given any indication they intend to do that, but its impossible to see really how this case would go forward. Certainly not before the election mr. Wade at the helm when you have the judge overseeing the case saying, look, hes gotta go paula reid, i know youre pouring over this and we will get back to you as soon as you get more new information. I do want to go now to elie honig this is what im reading in the language the prosecution of this case cannot proceed until the state selects one of two options. So very clear there hes saying you cannot go forward unless what one of you has to go, either the da with her the entire office, or nathan wade. This will be the easiest decision that is office has ever had to make. Obviously, nathan wade will go and the judge in his ruling says, essentially this is necessary to preserve Public Confidence in this case. He says theres enough of an appearance theres enough of as he says, at one point, an odor of men udacity around this case. Interesting phrase that somethings got to be done to at least clean up the public said, yes, of men udacity, whatever thats mostly what youre talking thing was so messiness with Michael Moore saying this could have been nipped in the bud. Again, its really important to underscore here. The big takeaway, fani willis stays on the case. The das office keeps the case. That case can carry on. That is far and away. The bold headline, they have survived but not without substantial damage. I mean, theres some really stark language in this ruling. The judge calls out the das quote, tremendous lack in judgment, the odor of men udacity. He says that the speech, The Public Speech she made in the church was legally improper, and the judge even says in the ruling, it may be time for a gag order on the da because she keeps on making improper Public Statements. He leaves it out there. He doesnt say im issuing one, but he raises the possibility of a gag order on the da i theres gag orders and donald trump. Right. Because we collectively fear that he may be tainting the jury pool. And now the judge floats the same possibility. So the das office has survived. The case, survives it will roll on at what pace well see, but but there are some damaged on here. Is this, this isnt the best that this isnt the best ruling that fani willis could have gotten, or is this the best rolling . Its pretty close to the i just want to make sure that were making clear to people. Yeah. Right. Again, yeah. If, im the Da In Breathing A Heavy Sigh of relief right now because this language yet we will see it in the media and maybe the jury pool will see it. You can filter that out later, but they have survived. Your goal here is to survive and carry on with the case. I mean, this ruling is ugly. I mean, it is if im the da im reading this really, im breathing a sigh of relief, but im also cringing at some of the language the judge has put out there, but the number one goal is keep the case alive and stay on the case. And the da has so much. Heres what could have been worse case heres what it would have been. I mean, what could have been slightly better, excuse me. The judge could have said i find no impropriety here. I find the evidence presented by the defendants entirely unconvincing. They failed to carry on their burden, carry on with the case. The judge has not done that. He has found i wouldnt say a midpoint is not 50, 50, but he has given the defendants certain concessions. Lets get reaction from the ground right now. We get a sense of maybe how the das office feels about this. Did valencia in georgia right now, nick, what are you hearing yeah. Huge win for fani willis. Point blank. Lets full stop there. This is a victory for the Fulton County District Attorneys office. It means that they stay on this case and well continue to pick back up their investigation, an investigation that started three years ago on january 2, 2021 one with that infamous phone call from the former president of the Georgia Secretary Of State in which he said, find me more votes. Fani willis, despite this blistering language from the judge, the wind for her her is that shes going to remain on this case and she survived tough words from judges before take it back to last year when she was basically admonished by judge robert mcburney, who is overseeing in the Special Purpose Grand Jury process he told her that the optics were horrible, that she held a fundraiser for her her friend, the former candidate for Lieutenant Governor, Charlie Bailey haley shade because of that, she was disqualified from investigating. Now, Lieutenant Governor burt jones. Jones, who participated in the fake electors scheme. We should mention a special prosecutor peter has still not been named in that investigation, so that was this scenario here is that fani willis could have been removed and we could have found ourselves in a position where it would have been handed over prosecuting Attorneys Council and they would have had a very unique challenge in trying to find a prosecuting team to take over this case. Yes. The judge basically smack der on the wrist and said that she had they terrible lapse in judgment, but the point of all, this is that fani willis stays on and shes going to be able to continue on with this investigation and investigation that has led to 19 and documents including an historic one against the former president. It has led to for guilty pleas, including the crack and attorney of the former president , jenna ellis, sidney powell, scott hall. Can chesebro for all of those individuals have already pleaded guilty and fani willis gets to continue and march on with this progress. Hes already made to this point. We have not heard from the Fulton County District Attorneys dolphins, but we could only imagine that behind us they are celebrating this as a huge win and we know that because the Defense Attorneys, they havent commented on this. Weve asked steve sadow who sent us this motion. Weve asked ashleigh merchant, who also forwarded this ruling to comment on this on the record and they have not said yet what their reaction is. And thats a big indicator that this is a hue which when again, for Fulton County District Attorney fani willis and her team, john nick valencia. Thank you so much and may take it from here. Lets go now to laura coates. Laura there are these two ideas. One is whether there was actual proof of impropriety and the other idea that is brought into this case, which the judge mentioned is the appearance of impropriety he said, yes, there was the appearance, but not the proof explain all of this and how this sort of panned out for the judge this was so consequential if you remember at