Fani Willis aims for summer start of Trump trial, CNN reports

The Georgia prosecutor who charged former President Donald Trump with election interference is seeking to start the trial as early as this summer, as reported by CNN.

Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis, who has faced scrutiny over allegations of an improper financial benefit from a relationship with a special prosecutor on the Trump case, aims to have the trial before the November election.

As Trump is expected to be the Republican nominee in a potential 2020 election rematch against President Joe Biden, Willis plans to push forward with the trial. She is also up for reelection in November, with her political position being tested by the ongoing examination of her involvement in the case.

Willis has faced primary opposition and Republican challengers, including Christian Wise Smith and Courtney Kramer. The DA intends to improve her standing among voters by proceeding with the trial, originally requesting a start date in August 2024 and planning to repeat the request.

The sources mentioned that Willis’ team only needs 30 days to prepare for the trial once a date is set and are eager to move forward with the legal proceedings.

A Georgia judge’s ruling allowed Trump and his co-defendants to appeal Willis remaining on the case, paving the way for potential disqualification based on her relationship with a former deputy. Nonetheless, the judge is prepared to proceed with pre-trial motions as the legal process continues.

Reuters and The Associated Press contributed to this story.