ATLANTA — In a significant development in the Georgia election interference case, a judge has dismissed three additional counts against former President Donald Trump and his associates while upholding the central charge of racketeering.
This ruling comes more than a year after a grand jury indicted Trump and 18 others for allegedly attempting to overturn the 2020 election results in Georgia. So far, four defendants have entered guilty pleas.
The dismissed counts—14, 15, and 27—relate to allegations of filing false documents with a federal court, with Trump facing charges in two of those instances.
Fulton Superior Judge Scott McAfee based the dismissal on the Supremacy Clause of the U.S. Constitution, which dictates that state law must yield to federal law in cases of conflict.
Earlier this year, Judge McAfee dismissed six other counts from the indictment, leaving 32 felony counts still in play. Trump now faces eight felony counts, reduced from 13 in the initial indictment.
The case is currently at a standstill for many defendants, including Trump, due to pending appeals regarding the ability of Fulton District Attorney Fani Willis to continue overseeing the case amid allegations of misconduct. Consequently, the counts will remain in place for the implicated defendants until their cases progress.
The Georgia Court of Appeals is scheduled to hold oral arguments in December to assess whether Willis can maintain her position in the case, with a decision anticipated next year.
In another legal battle, a New York jury convicted Trump on 34 felony counts in May. Meanwhile, other cases against him have either stalled or been completely dismissed, including a high-profile classified documents case in Florida.
Additionally, a Supreme Court ruling has further complicated the federal election interference case by granting extensive immunity from criminal prosecution to presidents concerning many official acts.
