Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis just saw her high-profile case against President Donald Trump crash and burn in a spectacular display of judicial reckoning.
According to Fox News, in a stunning turn of events, Willis was disqualified from prosecuting Trump and his allies over alleged election interference in Georgia, with the case ultimately dismissed by Fulton County Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee on the day before Thanksgiving 2025.
Let’s rewind to the beginning: Willis, an elected Democrat, launched an ambitious indictment against Trump and several associates, including Mark Meadows, Jeff Clark, and Rudy Giuliani, claiming a sprawling RICO conspiracy tied to the 2020 presidential election.
Trump had publicly contested the 2020 election results across multiple states and during the Congressional certification on January 6, 2021, encouraging supporters to march "peacefully" to the Capitol.
Willis pushed forward with her case, securing the indictment through a heavily Democrat-leaning grand jury in Atlanta, seemingly confident in her mission.
She even declared, "The train is coming," signaling her relentless drive to hold Trump and his allies accountable for their actions (Fani Willis).
But oh, how the mighty fall—turns out, that train derailed when Willis’ own ethical conduct came under scrutiny, starting with her disqualification from prosecuting Lt. Gov. Burt Jones over fundraising for his Democratic opponent.
That case was handed to Pete Skandalakis of the Prosecuting Attorneys’ Council of Georgia, who promptly dismissed it, finding no criminal intent—a bad omen for Willis’ broader efforts. Things got messier when it emerged that Willis had hired Nathan Wade, her undisclosed romantic partner, as a special prosecutor, despite his glaring lack of experience in felony cases.
Wade, paid a hefty $250 per hour by taxpayers, racked up nearly $700,000 in fees, out-earning even Georgia’s top RICO expert, while billing eyebrow-raising hours—including a supposed 24-hour workday.
Allegations of lavish trips paid for by Wade, with Willis claiming undocumented cash reimbursements, only deepened the stench of impropriety, as Judge McAfee later noted an "odor of mendacity" in their testimony.
Following a motion by Ashleigh Merchant, attorney for Trump co-defendant Mike Roman, an evidentiary hearing exposed Willis’ uncontrolled demeanor, earning her a judicial warning while details of the affair spilled out.
Judge McAfee initially forced Wade to resign while allowing Willis to stay, but Trump and most co-defendants appealed, and a Georgia appeals court ultimately disqualified Willis entirely.
Even a desperate bid for review by the Georgia Supreme Court was rebuffed earlier in 2025, leaving Willis sidelined as Skandalakis took over, struggled to find a replacement prosecutor, and finally moved to dismiss the case himself.
Now, with the case tossed out, a few minor plea deals to misdemeanor charges are all Willis has to show for her once-grand crusade, while defendants—many less resourced than Trump—were left with crippling legal bills, and Trump’s attorney Steve Sadow plans to seek fees for what he calls improper conduct.
