A Georgia judge rejected Donald Trump’s bid to halt Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis’s investigation into alleged interference in the state’s 2020 presidential election by the former president and his allies. The judge, Robert McBurney of Fulton County Superior Court, stated that Trump’s claims of wrongdoing were “overwrought” and that neither Trump nor Cathleen Latham, a Trump “alternate elector” challenging the probe, had legal standing to block the investigation at this stage.
McBurney emphasized that being the subject of a highly publicized criminal investigation did not alone provide a basis for the courts to interfere with or halt the investigation. This ruling marked the second time in two weeks that Trump’s attempt to stop the investigation was denied, with the Georgia Supreme Court also rejecting a similar request on July 17. A third petition to the Fulton County Superior Court remains pending, and a hearing is scheduled for August 10.
In his ruling, McBurney suggested that this third action might become unnecessary. He explained that Trump could raise his concerns in court after potential indictment, but doing so now would be premature. McBurney stressed that speculating on the outcome of the investigation before the dots were connected was not appropriate for the courts.
The district attorney’s office refrained from commenting on the ruling, while representatives for Trump and Latham did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Trump has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing in the case, dismissing it as a politically motivated “witch hunt” orchestrated by Willis, a Democrat. Willis has indicated that she might seek indictments in the first half of August as part of the case.
Furthermore, Trump has also been notified by special counsel Jack Smith that he’s a target in a federal investigation into interference in the 2020 election. Trump has denied any wrongdoing and accused Smith of “election interference” due to Trump’s current presidential campaign.