By David Miller-Glick
“I’m not on trial,” said Fani Willis, District Attorney for Fulton County, Georgia, during her testimony on February 15. She was absolutely right, since Donald Trump is the one on trial for attempting to overturn Joe Biden’s 2020 presidential election win in Georgia. Trump’s legal team is retaliating by instigating hearings into Willis’ former relationship with special prosecutor, Nathan Wade – whom she hired – and claiming that it amounted to a conflict of interest.
Their objections are unfounded. According to Georgia law, Willis’ relationship with Wade is a conflict of interest if it causes conflicting loyalties. But since both prosecutors are on the same team, their relationship has no impact on the verdict. The logical conclusion is that Trump is trying to distract from his attempt to bypass the will of Georgia’s voters in the 2020 presidential election.
The evidence against Trump is damning, so it is no surprise that he is trying to divert public attention and shift the blame. Just search, “Trump-Raffensperger phone call” on YouTube to hear him pressure Georgia’s Republican Secretary of State, Brad Raffensperger, to “find 11,780 votes” to overturn President Biden’s win.
We deserve leaders who uphold the safety and dignity of all citizens, not someone who believes he and his predatory friends are above the law. If this blatant assault on Democracy goes unchecked, it only encourages further abuses. Willis’ team is providing a public service by holding Trump accountable for his actions. In return, we need to voice our support for her efforts and demand that this trial gets back on track.
It is painfully ironic that Trump’s legal team is trying to slander the reputation of Willis, a Black woman, during Black History Month. The arguments against Wills are weak, and justice may yet be served, but if we allow Trump’s narrative to distract from his attempts to destroy democracy, we will all pay the price. We deserve a democracy that works for everyone, not just the select few, and you can be a part of the solution. Join Lancaster Stands Up; you can help us defeat election deniers by knocking on doors, text/phone banking, joining a working team, and more! If there was ever a time to build a better future, that time is now.