Why Fani Willis can keep prosecuting Donald Trump

As one of the few Black female district attorneys in the U.S., Fani Willis has made it known that race and gender have played a considerable factor throughout her career and life.

Exaggerated or not, those claims appeared to have little to do with a Georgia judge’s ruling that she showed “a tremendous lapse in judgment” by hiring her boyfriend as special counsel to prosecute a significant case against Donald Trump.

Though Trump’s defense attorneys could not prove an actual conflict of interest, the judge ruled that Willis had the appearance of benefiting financially from her romantic relationship with Nathan Wade by taking lavish vacations together.

Criminal law professor Ronald Sullivan explains the distinction and what the ruling means for the case against Trump – and the damage it may have done to Willis. “Although Willis dodged a bullet by being able to stay in the case, she will have to manage the harm to her reputation,” Sullivan wrote.

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