Fani Willis’ public statements about the Trump case, including in her January speech at Big Bethel AME Church, warrant her disqualification, said defense attorney Craig Gillen, who represents David Shafer.

“She chose to pull out the race card and the God card,” he said, suggesting it was a tactic to “deflect” from her romantic relationship with Wade. “What we have is a calculated plan to prejudice the defendants in this case. We have someone who sat down, wrote out her speech, wrote out her plan.”

Gillen said Willis had repeatedly worked to “get her message out” about the case before it could be tried. He labeled it a “pattern of forensic misconduct.”

Judge Scott McAfee asked if there were any previous Georgia cases in which judges “actually said that a prosecutor had gone too far in public comments.”

Gillen said it’s rare, but “it’s happened in this case.”

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Sen. Ed Setzler, R - Acworth, is congratulated by State Rep. Will Wade, R-Dawsonville after the passing of the SB 36, a "religious liberty" bill, during Legislative Day 39 at the Georgia State Capitol on Wednesday, April 2, 2025. 
(Miguel Martinez/ AJC)

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