A producer for ABC said a judge’s ruling that severed Donald Trump‘s trial in the Georgia 2020 election case from that of two co-defendants is a “big win” for the former president.
John Stantucci, executive editorial producer for ABC News, said on Thursday the ruling was “bad” news for Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis, who sought to have Trump and 18 others tried together in October.
“Fani Willis wasn’t there, but you gotta imagine, Diane, she’s throwing things against the wall based on this hearing,” Stantucci told the host. Having a “show this fall” followed by a “repeat performance next spring” makes it “incredibly difficult for prosecutors,” he added.
Judge severs Donald Trump's Georgia election interference case, and 16 others, from trial starting in October.
"A great win for Donald Trump and others that did not want to be part of this speedy trial case," @santucci reports. pic.twitter.com/T0VIcNcwXV
— ABC News Live (@ABCNewsLive) September 14, 2023
“A great win for Donald Trump and others that did not want to be part of this speedy trial case,” Stantucci continued. “I can tell you, sitting here with you, just texting with some of the attorneys involved in the other defendants — celebrating, ‘Yay, victory.’ This is everything they wanted — was to take more time and slow this down.”
The producer said an “interesting” takeaway from the hearing with Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee on Thursday was the agreement to reveal 30 unindicted co-conspirators to the legal teams representing Trump and the other defendants.
“It’s fascinating that you then saw prosecutors jump in, [saying], ‘Whoa whoa, wait a second. If you’re going to share this with everybody, give a protective order,'” Stantucci. “It’s duplicative to what we’ve seen in the other cases of the former president.”
The concern, Stantucci added, is the prospect of witness intimidation. “This case is obviously high-pressure, high-intensity, but just to see real quickly there even though the DA clearly lost,” prosecutors sought to ensure that identities would be protected, he said.
Trump and his co-defendants, who are accused of scheming to overturn the results of the 2020 election, have pleaded not guilty in the Georgia case. Trump has similarly denied wrongdoing in three other criminal cases, including a 2020 election case and separate documents case brought by special counsel Jack Smith. The former president claims politically motivated forces are targeting him in a “witch hunt” as he runs a 2024 campaign for another term in the White House.