One of Donald Trump’s co-defendants in the Georgia election interference case has issued a warning to Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis. The co-defendant has threatened to take legal action against Willis if she does not recuse herself from the case by Monday at noon.
The Context
This Article Includes
Trump, the Republican presidential nominee, denies any wrongdoing and has pleaded not guilty to charges in Georgia concerning allegations of attempting to overturn the 2020 presidential election results in the state. This is just one of the four criminal cases Trump is currently facing while campaigning for a second term in the White House. Trump maintains his innocence and asserts that all the allegations against him are politically motivated.
What We Know
Harrison Floyd recently expressed his concerns on X, previously known as Twitter, stating that he does not wish to see a black woman being imprisoned. However, he also mentioned that if Fani Willis does not step down from this case by noon on Monday, he might be left with no alternative but to explore all legal options available to him. His statement ended with the phrase “Make Fulton Great Again.”
Floyd shared a snippet from an article claiming to be from the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. The article alleged that Willis’ office had released a recording of a conversation between Willis and his attorney, Carlos J.R. Salvado, in an unrelated criminal case in Maryland.
According to Floyd, it is possible that Willis’ office may have violated the Maryland Wiretap Act. This act makes it illegal to record private in-person conversations or telephone communications without the consent of all the parties involved, unless you are one of the participants.
In most states, you can record a conversation as long as one person involved in the conversation gives their consent. However, there are 11 states, including Maryland, where both parties need to give their consent for the conversation to be recorded.
Recording a private conversation without the consent of both parties in Maryland is a serious offense that can lead to severe consequences. According to the Wiretap Act, individuals who engage in such activities may face up to five years of imprisonment, a hefty fine of up to $10,000, or both. It is crucial to respect the privacy and consent of others when it comes to recording conversations in the state of Maryland.
The Fulton County District Attorney’s office was contacted by Newsweek for comment outside of normal working hours.
During an interview with Phil Holloway, Floyd’s attorney, Christopher Kachouroff, also accused Willis of the same wrongdoing.
In regards to Willis, he mentioned, “She did make contact with one of my colleagues in Maryland. She was rude and abrupt during their phone conversation. He was handling the Maryland case while I was dealing with the Georgia case. Unfortunately, she ended up recording him.”
During the conversation, Holloway inquired if Kachouroff was insinuating that Willis had unlawfully recorded the call. To which he promptly responded, “Oh yeah, it’s considered a felony in Maryland.”
Floyd took to X to express his concerns about Fani Willis, stating that she had unlawfully recorded a telephone conversation with his lawyer.
“Will anyone in Georgia have the courage to stand up against her? She is a DEI (diversity, equality, and inclusion) advocate with a law license, but her actions are nothing short of criminal.”
Floyd, who used to lead Black Voices for Trump, is the sole co-defendant of Trump’s who was incarcerated in the Georgia case. He was held from August 24 to 30, and his bail of $100,000 was paid.
In November 2023, prosecutors’ attempt to have his bail revoked due to what they alleged as a “pattern of intimidation” was rejected by Judge Scott McAfee.
In March, McAfee criticized Willis for making a “significant error in judgment” regarding her involvement with Nathan Wade, who was then serving as a special prosecutor on Trump’s case. However, Willis was permitted to continue working on the case as long as Wade recused himself, which he promptly did.
