A Georgia judge denied Trump’s attempt to halt the investigation by Fani Willis into possible interference in the 2020 presidential election.
The judge dismissed Trump’s allegations of wrongdoing in the probe as “overwrought.”
YOU MAY ALSO LIKE: Trump is Crushing His Rivals
In a nine-page ruling, Fulton County Superior Court Judge Robert McBurney found that neither Trump nor Cathleen Latham, a Trump “alternate elector” challenging the investigation, had the legal standing to block it at this point.
He stated that their claims were “insufficient” because merely being the subject or target of a highly publicized criminal investigation does not, in itself, provide a basis for the courts to interfere with or halt the investigation.
This marks the second time Trump’s efforts to stop the investigation have been rejected. The Georgia Supreme Court denied a similar request from him on July 17. A third petition to the Fulton County Superior Court is pending, with a hearing scheduled for August 10.
Judge McBurney suggested that his latest ruling should make the third attempt moot. He advised that Trump could raise his concerns to the courts after being indicted but emphasized that it is premature to do so now.
McBurney highlighted that speculating on the investigation’s outcome before all the investigative dots are connected is not the court’s role and that it is more appropriate for legal argumentation at the proper time and forum.
He wrote, “There will be time and forum in which Trump and Latham can raise their concerns about the constitutionality of the special purpose grand jury statutes, about the performance of this particular Special Purpose Grand Jury (and the judge supervising it), and about the propriety of allowing the Fulton County District Attorney to remain involved with whatever criminal prosecution — if any results from the work of this Special Purpose Grand Jury. That time is not now and that forum is not here.”
McBurney added that if either or both movants are indicted, they can raise these issues before the judge, as they undoubtedly will.
The district attorney’s office declined to comment on the ruling, and representatives for Trump and Latham did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
YOU MAY ALSO LIKE: Mar-a-Lago Worker Charged In Trump’s Classified Documents Case To Appear In Court
Trump has consistently denied any wrongdoing in the case and contends that the investigation led by Democrat Fani Willis is politically motivated, likening it to a “witch hunt” against him.
Furthermore, special counsel Jack Smith has notified Trump that he is a target in the federal investigation into election interference in the 2020 election. Trump has denied any wrongdoing and accused Smith of “election interference,” arguing that he is now running for president.
