In a surprising turn of events, a judge in Atlanta has quashed six charges against former President Donald J. Trump and his allies in the Georgia election interference case. The ruling by Judge Scott McAfee of Fulton Superior Court came as a setback for prosecutors, but legal observers say it does not weaken the core of the case.
The charges that were quashed included one related to a call that Mr. Trump made to pressure Georgia’s secretary of state in early January 2021. The judge left intact the rest of the racketeering indictment, which initially included 41 counts against 19 co-defendants.
The ruling was not related to a defense effort to disqualify Fani T. Willis, the district attorney of Fulton County, who is leading the case. A ruling on that matter is expected by the end of the week.
While prosecutors could potentially seek to bring back the quashed charges, it remains to be seen if they will do so. In a statement, a lawyer for Mr. Trump called the ruling a correct application of the law and criticized the prosecution as political interference.
The charges that were quashed included allegations that Mr. Trump and his allies solicited public officials to break the law by violating their oaths of office. The judge ruled that prosecutors were not specific enough about the nature of the violations the defendants were pressuring public officials to commit.
Despite the setback, legal experts believe that the core racketeering charge against all defendants remains strong. The judge’s ruling was seen as a small blip rather than a major catastrophe for the case against Mr. Trump and his allies.
In a separate development, Gov. Brian Kemp of Georgia signed legislation allowing a new Republican-controlled state commission to begin its work, which could potentially remove prosecutors. The commission is expected to examine the conduct of the district attorney leading the case.
Overall, the ruling by the judge in the Georgia election interference case has stirred up controversy and legal battles, setting the stage for further developments in the high-profile case.
