Judge Rules Against Trump Attempt To Have Geor­gia Elec­tion Case Thrown Out Over First Amend­ment

Judge Scott McAfee ruled on Thurs­day against an argu­ment from for­mer Pres­i­dent Don­ald Trump and 14 of his co-defen­dants to dis­miss the 2020 elec­tion-relat­ed charges they face in Geor­gia on free speech grounds. 
Trump had argued that the pros­e­cu­tion from Ful­ton Coun­ty Dis­trict Attor­ney Fani Willis was a vio­la­tion of First Amend­ment pro­tec­tions of polit­i­cal speech, free­dom of asso­ci­a­tion, and the right to peti­tion. McAfee, who is over­see­ing the case, ruled against Trump argu­ing that Willis has a right to pros­e­cute. 
“After con­sid­er­ing the exten­sive brief­ing, the argu­ment of coun­sel, and the indict­ment, the Court finds these vital con­sti­tu­tion­al pro­tec­tions do not reach the actions an …