Fulton DA: 6 Trump Georgia indictment attorneys have conflict of interest
DA Fani Willis said Wednesday the attorneys could violate Georgia state bar standards if they continue their defenses.
ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) - Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis - the prosecutor in charge of a massive, racketeering-related series of indictments against former President Donald Trump and 18 others - is now claiming six of the lawyers defending some of those indicted have conflicts of interest.
In a Wednesday Fulton County Superior Court filing, Willis wrote defense attorneys Chris Anulewicz, Amanda Clark Palmer, Scott Grubman, Harry MacDougald, Bruce Morris and Don Samuel face a “significant risk” of violating the State Bar of Georgia’s professional standards if they continue representing their clients.
MacDougald represents Jeffrey Clark; Anulewicz is one of the attorneys listed for Robert Cheeley; and Palmer, Samuel and Morris are listed as attorneys of record for Ray Smith.
Grubman is listed as lead attorney for Kenneth Chesebro who, along with fellow co-defendant Sidney Powell, is headed for an Oct. 23, 2023, trial date.
Late Tuesday, Judge Scott McAfee, who is overseeing the overall trial, ruled lawyers for Powell and Chesebro can interview the grand jurors who handed up the historic indictments. McAfee said the interviews with the grand jurors would be voluntary and conducted within court guidelines.
“The Court will guide and maintain oversight over these interviews,” McAfee’s ruling said, and questions to the grand jurors must be submitted within the next three days.
Both Powell and Chesebro have filed motions to have a speedy trial, one that is set to begin on Oct. 23.
Willis had been seeking to try all of the co-defendants in one trial, an effort that was brought to a screeching halt last week when McAfee agreed to allow Powell and Chesebro to be tried separately from the others named in Willis’ indictment.
Chesebro and Powell are both former Trump campaign attorneys.
Trump himself has asked the court to dismiss several criminal charges against him in the Georgia 2020 election interference case.
Atlanta News First data research journalist Bailey Williams contributed to this report.
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