Trump Seeks $6.2 Million in Legal Fees Following Dismissal of Georgia Election Case
ATLANTA – In a recent development, former President Donald Trump has filed a motion to recover over $6.2 million in attorney fees and associated costs from the Fulton County District Attorney’s office. This request follows the dismissal of an election interference case that had been initiated against him and others.
This motion is grounded in a Georgia state law enacted last year. The law stipulates that if a prosecutor is disqualified due to improper conduct and the case is subsequently dismissed, the defendants are eligible to seek reimbursement for reasonable legal expenses. The presiding judge is tasked with evaluating the requests and determining the compensation to be paid from the prosecutor’s office budget.
The dismissal of the case occurred after Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis and her office were removed due to an “appearance of impropriety” stemming from her romantic involvement with special prosecutor Nathan Wade. The prosecution was taken over by a different prosecutor in late 2023, who dismissed it in November.
In August 2023, Willis had secured an indictment against Trump and 18 others, accusing them of a scheme to overturn the 2020 presidential election results in Georgia using the state’s anti-racketeering law. This included Trump’s call to Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, urging him to “find” votes to surpass Joe Biden’s tally. Four individuals pleaded guilty following the indictment.
Steve Sadow, Trump’s lead attorney in Georgia, stated, “In accordance with Georgia law, President Trump has moved the Court to award reasonable attorney fees and costs incurred in his defense of the politically motivated, and now rightfully dismissed, case brought by disqualified DA Fani Willis.”
A spokesperson for Willis declined to comment on Trump’s filing. However, her office previously filed a motion to address any claims for fees and costs in similar cases. The motion expressed concerns over the 2022 law, arguing it imposes financial burdens on a constitutional officer and violates due process by retroactively applying a fee-shifting scheme.
Willis contended that the prosecution was the result of an extensive investigation, not arbitrary or political motives. The charges were based on recommendations from a special grand jury and a subsequent indictment from a regular grand jury.
The controversy surrounding the case heightened when defense attorneys revealed Willis’s romantic relationship with Wade, suggesting it created a conflict of interest. During a February hearing, both testified that their relationship began post-Wade’s hiring and that they shared expenses for vacations.
Fulton County Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee criticized Willis for her judgment but did not find a disqualifying conflict of interest, allowing her to remain on the case if Wade resigned, which he did shortly after. Despite an appeal from defense attorneys, the Georgia Court of Appeals removed Willis due to the perceived impropriety, a decision upheld by the Georgia Supreme Court when it declined to hear her appeal.
The case was eventually handed over to the Prosecuting Attorneys’ Council, with executive director Pete Skandalakis taking charge and dismissing the case weeks later.
