Closing arguments in the Georgia prosecution DQ hearings.

According to "most" analysts, things did not go well for Fani and Nate.

Judge says he can make a decision without consideration of the phone records that were presented. He also stated that he would need upwards of two weeks to reach his conclusions.

Two points come to mind.

First. Would he seriously consider allowing them to remain on the case while at the same time not considering the phone records in question that seem to show more evidence that Fani and Nate presented false statements and committed perjury. If he was going to rule in Fulton County's favor here, he would at least want to look fair by considering all the evidence brought forward, especially something as damning as the phone records. Logically it would make more sense to not consider evidence, if that evidence would just further solidify a judges current leaning on the case.

Second. Would he need two weeks to decline the defense's motion here? Would it be prudent wait for two weeks and then rule in favor of Willis and Wade? Given the high profile and the political nature of this case, one would believe that the people prosecuting must be held to high standards. Much higher standards than most any other case. To believe that this is such a close call that the Judge needs two weeks to make a determination would not provide the necessary head room to make a credible argument that they are still beyond reproach and the best people to represent Fulton County here. The two weeks alone proves that there is enough to the argument to DQ them.

The argument from the Fulton County attorney was that while the law suggests that all a Judge needs to disqualify someone is the appearance of impropriety or conflict, that the "standard" is that the defense must prove actual impropriety of conflict. In other words, the law should not apply here. Rather the judge should actually just consider something that Fani, Nate, and their attorney suggests is more the norm when it comes to this sort of case. This appears to be some form of silly peer pressure. Everyone is doing it, your honor!

But at the same time, this means that the prosecution and their attorneys are basically admitting that there is the appearance of impropriety and/or conflict but would like to move the goalposts. That seems to be a rather bad admission to make and quite honestly not very good lawyering. But then again, given the facts here, what other argument can they make.

All that being said, this just may be a ploy by the Judge to buy some separation from a horrendous hearing for the Fulton County prosecutors and a ruling that falls in their favor. Perhaps the judge is hoping people might forget how horrible things went for them if he gives them two weeks to move on to other things. At the end of the day, this is a Judge who probably should have recused himself but didn't because he was in the unique position to help is former boss in a large high-profile case. There is still that gut feeling I get that he is looking for a way to justify the unjustifiable.