Former President Donald Trump and eight other defendants have formally appealed a judge's ruling allowing Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis to remain as the prosecutor in the Georgia election interference case. The appeal, filed on Friday, argues that Willis should be disqualified from the case due to her romantic relationship with former special prosecutor Nathan Wade. The defendants claim that Willis has violated ethical standards and undermined public confidence in the justice system. The appeal is the latest development in the ongoing legal battle over Willis and Wade's relationship.

The appeal also highlights the lack of appellate guidance on disqualifying a prosecutor for forensic misconduct and argues that the Georgia Court of Appeals should establish a precedent in this case. Trump's attorney, Steve Sadow, emphasized that the indictment should have been dismissed and that Willis should have been disqualified from prosecuting the case. The defense attorneys are urging the appellate court to rule on their request ahead of the trial to avoid potential errors and complications in the future.

Willis, who has faced scrutiny over her relationship with Wade, has maintained that she is not embarrassed by the affair and that it has not delayed the ongoing case against Trump and his co-defendants. Despite Judge Scott McAfee's ruling that there was no actual conflict of interest in Willis' involvement in the case, the defense attorneys argue that allowing her to continue could lead to a reversal of any verdicts in the future. The defense team is calling for a swift resolution to the issue to maintain public faith in the integrity of the judicial system.