On Thursday, September 12, 2024, former President Donald Trump achieved a legal win in Georgia as Fulton County Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee dismissed three counts of the election interference case against him and his allies. The ruling, which dismissed two charges against Trump himself, maintains the primary racketeering allegation.

McAfee’s ruling focused on the Supremacy Clause of the U.S. Constitution, establishing that federal law takes precedence over state law in case of conflicts. The dismissed counts were related to the alleged submission of false documents in a federal court, an action that McAfee determined was beyond state jurisdiction.

McAfee stated in his ruling that “Punishment for filing certain documents would enable a state to constrict the scope of materials assessed by a federal court and impair the administration of justice in that tribunal.”

The dismissed counts (14, 15, and 27) were all related to the alleged submission of fraudulent documents to a federal court in Atlanta, Georgia. Two of these charges were directly against Trump, reducing his tally of felony charges from 13 to eight.

This decision follows a previous ruling in March by Judge McAfee, where he dismissed six other counts from the indictment. Despite these dismissals, 32 felony charges, including the central racketeering accusation, still stand.

Steve Sadow, Trump’s chief defense attorney, celebrated the decision with the statement: “President Trump and his legal team in Georgia have prevailed once again.”

The case, initiated by Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis, initially charged Trump and 18 others with attempting to overturn the 2020 election results in Georgia. Since then, four defendants have pleaded guilty.

Nonetheless, the legal proceedings have encountered a hurdle. The case is currently paused for Trump and nine other defendants as the Georgia Court of Appeals reviews whether Willis can stay on the case. This delay is due to allegations of misconduct related to Willis’ romantic relationship with a senior prosecutor, Nathan Wade, who has since resigned.

Oral arguments regarding this issue are scheduled for December 5, with a decision expected next year. As a result, the dismissed counts will not officially be removed for the defendants in question until their cases resume.

While Trump continues to face legal battles in Georgia, other cases against the former president have met with obstacles. A federal judge in Florida dismissed a case involving classified documents, and a federal election interference case has been delayed and weakened due to a U.S. Supreme Court ruling that grants extensive immunity from criminal prosecution to presidents for many official acts.

However, a New York jury convicted Trump on 34 felony counts in May, exemplifying the varying outcomes across his multiple legal battles.

Despite the dismissal of these charges being a victory for Trump, it does not derail the overall case against him in Georgia. The ruling by Judge McAfee specifically upheld the racketeering charge, remaining at the core of the indictment, which alleges a comprehensive conspiracy to overturn the 2020 election results, involving actions beyond those in the dismissed counts.

As the legal and political drama continues, the nation remains focused on Georgia. The outcome of this case could have significant implications for both the former president and the American electoral system.