Matt Rinaldi, Texas GOP chair, won’t seek reelection
Rinaldi has served as GOP chairman since 2021.
Trump-backed GOP candidate rips ‘sick’ report tying him to gay hookup website: ‘Desperate people’
Ohio Senate candidate Bernie Moreno and his legal team are pushing back against a report, ahead of the state’s GOP primary, that tried to link him to previously holding an account on an adult hookup website. The Associated Press published a report Thursday claiming that an Adult Friend Finder (AFF) account was created in 2008 using an email linked to Trump-backed candidate Moreno, who is running in a heated primary contest for a critical Senate seat in Ohio. The AP could not confirm that the account was created by Moreno himself, but only that his email address was used to make the account. Former intern Dan Ricci then came forward saying he was the one who created the account as part of a “prank,” which he said in a letter that he is “thoroughly embarrassed” by. “It’s a sick, last-minute attack by desperate people. This is what they do. Look at what they did to Judge (Brett) Kavanaugh, look at what they did to President Trump,” Moreno told Politico in a statement blasting the report. TRUMP HEADING TO OHIO WITH HIS GOP CLOUT ON THE LINE IN CONTENTIOUS REPUBLICAN SENATE PRIMARY Charles Harder, legal counsel for Bernie Moreno, also shot down the claims and detailed the prank that he says Moreno “had nothing to do with.” “16 years ago an intern at Moreno Auto created an account at AFF as a prank, which he quickly abandoned that same day. We have provided AP a copy of a signed letter from that intern, admitting to this, as well as another signed letter from a former VP of Mr. Moreno’s company, confirming this intern’s employment at the time the account in question was created,” Harder said in a statement shared with Fox News Digital. “The email address in question was not Bernie’s personal email address, but rather an email address that appeared on company websites and literature and was managed by staff. Multiple people had access to it, including this intern. Bernie Moreno had nothing to do with the AFF account.” SCHUMER-AFFILIATED PAC JUMPS INTO CRUCIAL GOP SENATE PRIMARY TO BOOST TRUMP’S ENDORSED CANDIDATE “According to metadata, the AFF account was never even used — there were no communications or contacts sent to or from any other AFF accounts, and no photos or content were uploaded to it,” Harder added. “The AFF account existed for less than a half-day, 16 years ago.” A senior Republican strategist, who asked not to be named due to fear of retaliation, said the “story seems to be shifting.” “Bernie’s story seems to be shifting. For weeks, his campaign told everyone that the metadata of the website would prove his innocence, but then the AP blew up that claim,” they told Fox. “Now, Bernie is saying an intern went to where Bernie’s parents lived in Florida and created a gay dating profile for him as a prank. It just doesn’t pass the smell test.” Moreno’s Republican primary opponents did not respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment. The Ohio Senate race is one of the GOP’s best pickup opportunities in 2024 and is labeled a “toss up,” according to Cook Political Report.
Peter Navarro, former Trump White House adviser, files emergency request with SCOTUS
Former President Trump’s White House trade adviser, Peter Navarro, has filed an emergency request with the Supreme Court for his immediate release from federal prison. According to the filing, Navarro and his legal team argued that he should be released pending his appeals. “Dr. Navarro is indisputably neither a flight risk nor a danger to public safety should he be release [sic] pending appeal,” the filing to the Supreme Court said. There is not a timetable on when the justices will rule on the time-sensitive request. TRUMP WHITE HOUSE OFFICIAL PETER NAVARRO SENTENCED TO 4 MONTHS FOR DEFYING JAN 6 SUBPOENA A federal appeals court yesterday denied Navarro’s efforts to remain out of prison while he continues to challenge his conviction and sentence. FORMER TRUMP ADVISER NAVARRO CONVICTED OF CONTEMPT AFTER DEFYING JAN. 6 SUBPOENA He was ordered to report to a federal prison in Miami, Florida by Tuesday. Last year, Navarro was found guilty by a jury last year for defying a subpoena for documents and testimony from the House select committee that investigated the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riots. After refusing to comply with the congressional request, the House of Representatives held him in contempt and referred the matter to the U.S. attorney in Washington, D.C., for prosecution.
Senators signal bipartisan backing for TikTok divestment from China
Senators on both sides of the aisle have signaled their support for taking action to force the divestment of social media app TikTok from Chinese-based ByteDance, under the threat of a U.S. ban. The move comes following a vote on Wednesday that sailed through the House with a 352-65 bipartisan split, with one member abstaining. It would force Chinese divestment from TikTok or see the app banned. Both Democrats and Republicans have expressed concerns over ByteDance’s ownership of TikTok, stressing the national security threat is serious. HOUSE GOP LEADERS TARGET BIDEN ENERGY POLICIES IN LEGISLATION BLITZ NEXT WEEK Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, said he was pleased to see the House pass the bill, adding that he looks forward to seeing the Senate proceed with it. “I have been explicit and unequivocal about my concerns about TikTok, both that it is used by the Chinese Communist Party to engage in espionage and surveillance and that it is used to push incredibly harmful propaganda, particularly on our young people,” he told Fox News Digital. HOUSE PASSES BILL THAT COULD SEE TIKTOK BANNED IN US Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, said she wants to see the app forced to divest: “I do want to see us divest — force them to divest. We shouldn’t have those ties with Communist China,” she said. Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., echoed that sentiment, saying, “It has to be addressed.” Sens. Mark Warner, D-Va., and Marco Rubio, R-Fla., who serve as chair and vice chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee, applauded the House’s passage of the TikTok bill in a joint statement on Wednesday, saying, “We are united in our concern about the national security threat posed by TikTok.” They added that they hope to see the measure passed in the Senate and signed by President Biden. The top senators on the intelligence committee have been sounding the alarm on the social media app for years. Warner, a Democrat, claimed in 2022 that “President Trump was right” when he sought to ban TikTok with an executive order in 2020 that was ultimately blocked by the courts. JOHNSON SAYS HOUSE WILL ‘APPLY EVERY AMOUNT OF PRESSURE’ TO SENATE TO PASS TIKTOK BILL During the annual Senate Intel worldwide threats hearing with various national security officials earlier this week, FBI Director Christopher Wray confirmed to Rubio that ByteDance, “the parent company is, for all intents and purposes, beholden to the CCP.” “I think what we’re hearing is genuine risk,” said Sen. John Hickenlooper, D-Colo. The senator noted he is hopeful for the Senate to take action, particularly because of the large bipartisan support evidenced by the House’s vote. Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., added he also wants to see TikTok required to be divested from China so that “national security and information [and] data on ordinary Americans can be protected.” TIKTOK CEO TELLS USERS ‘PROTECT YOUR CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS’ AGAINST TIKTOK BAN IN VIDEO Sen. John Barrasso, R-Wyo., said that he sees TikTok as “a national security threat,” adding that he wants “to make sure that we can sever that relationship” with China. Despite the high level of concern over TikTok among members of both parties, Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., was vague about the bill’s fate in the upper chamber on Wednesday, and did not offer any clues on whether it would be fast-tracked in the body. “The Senate will review the legislation when it comes over from the House,” he said in a statement following the measure’s passage. REPUBLICANS UNVEIL EFFORT TO REVERSE BIDEN CLIMATE RULES TARGETING MANUFACTURING In 2020, Schumer notably wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter, “A US company should buy TikTok so everyone can keep using it and your data is safe.” “With TikTok in China, it’s subject to Chinese Communist Party laws that may require handing over data to their government,” he wrote at the time. SCHUMER SPEECH ON ISRAEL SLAMMED BY REPUBLICANS, EXPERTS AS ‘UNPRECEDENTED’ AND ‘RIDICULOUS’ The House’s bill was read twice on Thursday and then referred to the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, meaning it isn’t being fast-tracked for swift passage. Cruz said there should be “a full and open amendment process” — a criticism of the Senate’s recent proclivity for skipping procedure. However, there are concerns over the extra time afforded to TikTok and tech lobbyists as consideration of the measure is dragged out. Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., criticized the flow of money from TikTok and other tech lobbyists in Congress while talking to Fox News Digital, claiming that “there ought to be a sign right there that says ‘property of Big Tech’” as he gestured toward the Senate chamber. DEMOCRATS PANICKED ABOUT THIRD-PARTY CANDIDATES SWINGING ELECTION FOR TRUMP: ‘SINGLE BIGGEST THREAT’ Hawley said he hoped to see debate and a vote on the bill sometime soon. On Thursday, TikTok CEO Shou Chew told Fox News correspondent Aishah Hasnie that his team had reviewed the House bill and called it “not feasible.” “This bill, in all the details you can read, go through the details, this would lead to banning of the app in the country,” he claimed. Hawley posted on X, writing, “The answer is, the CCP won’t allow a sale. Which tells you how valuable TikTok is to them.” While there appeared to be broad support for the House bill addressing TikTok, a smaller but somewhat bipartisan group of lawmakers came out against it. That group included Sens. Cory Booker, D-N.J.; Rand Paul, R-Ky.; and Mike Lee, R-Utah, who warned that it could violate various constitutional amendments and increase the size and scope of the federal government.
Fox News Politics: Wade goodbye
Welcome to Fox News’ Politics newsletter with the latest political news from Washington D.C. and updates from the 2024 campaign trail. What’s happening? – Fulton County Fani Willis’ former lover and Nathan Wade pulls out of Trump case – Haitian migrant arrested on serious charges – Pro-Palestinian groups rebuff White House’s attempts to chat The judge in the Georgia election interference case has allowed District Attorney Fani Willis to continue leading the prosecution against former President Trump, but strongly admonished her behavior. Fulton County Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee slammed Willis’ speech to a church about the matter because it used racially charged rhetoric, was “playing the race card” and overall seemed “legally improper.” Though McAffee declined to disqualify Willis from the case due to her affair with special counsel Nathan Wade and other improprieties, he ruled that Wade would have to be removed from the case — or Willis would need to step back herself. Later Friday afternoon, Willis withdrew himself. In his resignation letter, he said he would step down “in the interest of democracy,” and so that the case could move forward “as quickly as possible.” Willis praised Wade in a written reply, and said she “will always remember” his courage, patriotism and “dedication to justice.” Willis staying on the case wasn’t the ruling Trump wanted. But Trump said on social media that Wade’s resignation was “BIG STUFF.” ‘PROSECUTORIAL MISCONDUCT’: Trump attorney reacts to Fulton County judge’s Fani Willis decision …Read more ‘DISQUALIFIED’: Lawyer who exposed Willis-Wade relationship reacts to court ruling …Read more TESTIMONY TOSSED: Georgia judge tosses key witness’ testimony against Fani Willis, citing ‘inconsistencies’: court order …Read more ‘NO POINT’: Chicago Pro-Palestinian groups reject White House requests to meet before primary in strongly-worded letter …Read more SINKING SLOWLY: Harris approval rating worse than Biden, Trump …Read more STRONG WORDS: House Speaker Johnson says White House doesn’t ‘call the shots’ on when impeachment is over …Read more HIGH ENERGY: House GOP leaders target Biden energy policies in legislation blitz next week …Read more ‘CONTROL OUR LIVES’: Republicans unveil effort to reverse Biden climate rules targeting manufacturing …Read more JOB-KILLER: Republican Sen. Bill Cassidy slams Bernie Sanders’ 32-hour workweek proposal as job-killer …Read more ROUGH SEAS AHEAD: Cori Bush is shaping up to be the most vulnerable ‘Squad’ member this election cycle …Read more ‘ELECTION INTERFERENCE’: Republicans hammer Judge McAfee’s ruling in Fani Willis case, calling it ‘election interference’ …Read more CRASHING THE PARTY: Centrist group No Labels sets up panel to select third-party presidential ticket …Read more BEHIND BARS: Columbian drug lord arrested in Texas …Read more BREAKING NEWS: Haitian migrant charged with rape of 15-year-old girl entered via controversial parole program: sources …Read more THROUGH THE ROOF: Little-known international NGO finalizing building code forcing US homes to be green …Read more ALARMING FINDS: DeSantis details alarming find aboard Haitian migrant boat seized off Florida coast …Read more Subscribe now to get Fox News Politics newsletter in your inbox. Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more on FoxNews.com.
SCOTUS denies request to allow drag show on West Texas A&M University campus brought by student LGBT group
The Supreme Court on Friday denied a university student group’s emergency petition to allow a charity drag show to take place on the West Texas A&M University campus in Canyon later this month. “The application for writ of injunction pending appeal presented to Justice Alito and by him referred to the Court is denied,” the court said in its ruling. The group, Spectrum WT, which describes itself as LGBTQIA+ students and allies who meet weekly and host various events in the community, filed a lawsuit last year, alleging the school was violating its free speech. The school told Fox News Digital it had no comment on the pending litigation. Fox News Digital has reached out to Spectrum WT. STUDENTS PROTEST DRAG SHOW PLANNED FOR CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY NOTRE DAME The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression, a nonprofit free speech advocacy group that is representing the students, told Fox News Digital, “While FIRE is disappointed by today’s denial of an emergency injunction, we’ll keep fighting for our clients’ First Amendment rights. The Fifth Circuit will hear oral arguments in the case next month. The show is not over.” The students eventually held last year’s show off-campus, but have continued the litigation to keep the school from barring future shows. FEDERAL JUDGE BLOCKS FLORIDA BAN ON MINORS ATTENDING DRAG SHOWS Last year, the school’s president, Walter Wendler, wrote in an open letter published on the school’s website and titled “A Harmless drag Show? No Such thing” that he deemed the event, which was planned to raise money for the Trevor Project, he didn’t believe that drag shows “preserve a single thread of human dignity.” Wendler wrote that although the Trevor Project’s efforts toward suicide prevention are “noble,” drag shows are “misogynistic” and present “women in cartoon-like extremes for the amusement of others.” He added, “Drag shows are derisive, divisive and demoralizing misogyny, no matter the stated intent,” likening it to blackface. In its lawsuit, Spectrum WT said: “The First Amendment protects expressive conduct, including performance theater (like drag shows), whether held in high regard by supporters or low esteem by detractors.” But last September, a U.S. district court judge denied the group’s request for a preliminary injunction, ruling, “It is not clearly established that all drag shows are inherently expressive.” CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP The New Orleans-based 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has scheduled arguments on the case for late April. Reuters contributed to this report.
U.S. Supreme Court declines to intervene in lawsuit over West Texas A&M drag shows
The decision means university President Walter Wendler could cancel an on-campus drag show next week. He canceled a previous show last year.
Speaker Johnson aims to stay leader of House GOP in 2025, vows ‘very aggressive first 100 days’
EXCLUSIVE: WEST VIRGINIA — Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., is aiming to stay at the helm of the House GOP next year, he told Fox News Digital. In an interview at the House Republicans’ annual member retreat this year at the Greenbrier Resort in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia, Johnson suggested he’d want to stay in the conference’s top spot regardless of whether they keep the House majority. “I have not given a lot of thought about the next Congress, because I’m so busy with my responsibility right now. My intention is to stay as speaker, stay in leadership, because we’re laying a lot of important groundwork right now for the big work that we’ll be doing,” Johnson said. “But each day has enough concern of its own right now. And I’ve got – we’ve got a very full, very busy agenda right now. And that’s where my focus is.” HOUSE SPEAKER JOHNSON SAYS WHITE HOUSE DOESN’T ‘CALL THE SHOTS’ ON WHEN IMPEACHMENT IS OVER He also gave Fox News Digital a preview of what he wants Congress to focus on in 2025, expressing confidence that the GOP would go into the new year having kept the House majority and won the Senate and White House. “We would absolutely turn our attention to securing the border and ending the catastrophe that the Biden administration has created. Obviously, we would continue to address the China threat and increase our stature on the world stage. That’s what the White House would be focused on, and we would give assistance in the House in every way possible,” he said. Johnson also listed bolstering U.S. defense capabilities, tax reform, and exploring weaponization of the federal government as other priorities, as well as legislative advances on artificial intelligence. “We’d have a very aggressive first 100 days of the Congress agenda, and we’re kind of excited about that prospect,” Johnson said. SPEAKER JOHNSON FLOATS STAND-ALONE ISRAEL AID PLAN AFTER SCHUMER’S COMMENTS MADE SITUATION ‘EVEN MORE URGENT’ Johnson won the speakership in late October via a unanimous House GOP vote, three weeks after his predecessor, ex-Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., was ousted by a group of eight Republicans and all House Democrats. Johnson’s comments to Fox News Digital come a day after he was asked at a press conference about whether he’d have the House GOP Conference change its rules on how difficult it is to kick out a speaker. Johnson, who was optimistic that the GOP could retain and expand its razor-thin House majority in November, suggested the next Congress would also likely see a change to its motion to vacate rules – the guidelines by which a speaker is ousted from power. JOHNSON SAYS HOUSE WILL ‘APPLY EVERY AMOUNT OF PRESSURE’ TO SENATE TO PASS TIKTOK BILL McCarthy agreed to lower the threshold from a House majority to just one person being able to trigger a vote to recall the House leader as part of a deal with critics to win the gavel in January 2023. Johnson said he never advocated for a rule change but expected that a majority of his lawmakers would want to move forward. Dozens of House Republicans criticized the eight that voted to oust McCarthy, arguing that it projected historic levels of instability under their leadership. “The motion to vacate is something that comes up a lot amongst members in discussion, and I expect there will probably be a change to that as well. But just so you know, I’ve never advocated for that. I’m not one who’s making it an issue, because I don’t think it is one for now,” he said Wednesday.
Conservatives blast Biden after Haitian migrant charged with raping teenage girl: ‘Enough is enough’
Conservatives on social media blasted the Biden administration this week after a Haitian migrant was accused of raping a 15-year-old girl at a location used to house migrants. Authorities in Rockland, Massachusetts arrested 26-year-old Cory Alvarez, a Haitian national, on one count of aggravated rape of a child after he allegedly assaulted a 15-year-old disabled girl at a Comfort Inn used to house migrants. Multiple sources told Fox News that Alvarez came to the U.S. in June via the Cuban, Haitian, Nicaraguan and Venezuelan parole processes prompting outrage from conservatives directed at the Biden administration. “More destruction from Biden’s immigration polices,” Florida Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis posted on X. 14 DEMOCRATS VOTE WITH REPUBLICANS TO CONDEMN BIDEN IMMIGRATION POLICIES “There are only two options: 1) Either Joe Biden is the most incompetent person in the history of American politics, 2) He’s doing this on purpose,” GOP Congressman Jim Banks posted on X. “Why would any Republican vote to fund this?” “Only a few days ago, White House spokesperson bragged about how excellent the security checks were for Biden’s secretive immigrant flights program- 320,000-plus cleared to fly in sight unseen from foreign airports directly into American ones,” Center for Immigration Studies Fellow Todd Bensman wrote on X. “We are quite literally importing criminals,” Heritage Action Communications Director Cody Sargent posted on X. “Great job, Biden admin!” BIDEN TORCHED FOR CLAIMING ‘UNDOCUMENTED’ IMMIGRANTS ‘BUILT THIS COUNTRY’ AFTER SAYING SAME OF MIDDLE CLASS “HORRIFYING – A migrant, FLOWN into this country by the Biden administration, RAPED a DISABLED 15-year-old girl,” the National Republican Congressional Committee posted on X. “Extreme Democrats’ radical open-border policies are to blame for putting the most vulnerable in danger.” BIDEN SAYS HE WON’T TAKE EXECUTIVE ACTION TO SECURE BORDER, WANTS CONGRESS TO FIND A FIX Fox News reported this week that Alvarez came to the United States as part of a policy that was first announced for Venezuelans in October 2022, which allowed a limited number to fly directly into the U.S. as long as they had not entered illegally, had a sponsor in the U.S. already and passed certain checks. In January 2023, the administration announced that the program was expanding to include Haitians, Nicaraguans and Cubans and that the program would allow up to 30,000 people per month into the U.S. It allows for migrants to receive work permits and a two-year authorization to live in the U.S. and was announced alongside an expansion of Title 42 expulsions to include those nationalities. The Department of Homeland Security recently said the process, which it describes as a “safe and orderly way to reach the United States” is a “key element” of the administration’s efforts to address high levels of migration throughout the Hemisphere. Republicans have accused the administration of abusing the parole process with the program, but a recent lawsuit from 20 GOP-led states was recently shot down in the courts. Fox News is told that Alvarez flew directly from Haiti to John F. Kennedy Airport in New York City in June, and was sponsored by someone in New Jersey. Fox News is also told that an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detainer has been lodged against Alvarez. According to official data, the Biden admin has brought over 138,000 Haitians into the U.S. via the CHNV parole program since January 2023. The White House did not respond to a request for comment from Fox News Digital. Fox News Digital’s Adam Shaw, Bill Melugin, and Griff Jenkins contributed to this report
Georgia lawmakers react to judge’s ruling allowing Fani Willis to stay on Trump case: ‘Wholly insufficient’
Reactions from Georgia lawmakers poured in on Friday after a judge ruled that embattled Fulton County DA Fani Willis could remain on the case investigating alleged election interference by former President Donald Trump. Fulton County Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee issued a ruling Friday that Willis, who was accused of an improper romantic relationship that she attempted to cover up with special counsel Nathan Wade, could remain on the case if she fired Wade which prompted pushback from Georgia Republicans. “The ruling by Judge McAfee seems to clearly identify impropriety between the DA and Mr. Wade,” Georgia Republican State Rep. Josh Bonner told Fox News Digital. “Unfortunately, it does not address the purely partisan nature of the case brought by a rogue District Attorney more interested in scoring political points than prosecuting criminals in Fulton County.” “Judge McAfee clearly found significant impropriety between Fani Willis and Nathan Wade,” Georgia Republican Lt. Gov Burt Jones told Fox News Digital. “If Fani Willis acted in the best interest of her constituents, she would resign immediately, but we know her inflated sense of self won’t allow that to happen. Regardless, the Georgia Senate investigatory committee will continue its work on behalf of the Georgia taxpayer to hold her accountable.” JUDGE IN GEORGIA SLAMS FANI WILLIS’ ‘IMPROPER’ CHURCH SPEECH, ‘PLAYING THE RACE CARD’ Georgia Republican State Senator Jason Anavitarte told Fox News Digital it is “indisputable” that Willis “willfully concealed” her relationship with Wade. “Rather than owning up to the relationship, admitting poor judgement and removing SADA Wade from this case as soon as it was revealed, DA Willis doubled down and spent the better part of 3 months continuing to obfuscate if not downright lie to the court,” Anavitarte said. “Judge McAfee openly acknowledged that there is an ‘odor of mendacity’ and “reasonable questions about whether the DA and…SADA testified untruthfully.’ Despite all this, Judge McAfee chose to offer DA Willis an escape hatch that should have been voluntarily activated as soon as the relationship was uncovered, firing Nathan Wade,” he continued. “To me, that is wholly insufficient. Prosecutors should be held to the highest ethical standard. Clearly Judge McAfee failed in this account. Now it is incumbent on the nearly created Prosecuting Attorney Qualification Commission to determine whether DA Willis committed perjury. I suspect complaints to that end are forthcoming.” REPUBLICANS HAMMER JUDGE MCAFEE’S RULING IN FANI WILLIS CASE, CALLING IT ‘ELECTION INTERFERENCE’ Georgia Republican State Sen. Bill Cowsert, who is leading a special Georgia Senate committee probe on Willis, told Fox News Anchor Martha MacCallum on Friday afternoon that he is “not surprised” by the judge’s move but agreed that Willis would be best served to recuse herself from the case. “I feel confident that’s what she’ll do,” Cowsert said. “There’s just no way a jury will give any credibility to her further involvement, it will undermine her own mission of prosecuting these individuals if she stays personally involved. It’s just been a series of really poor choices.” Some Democrats have backed Judge McAfee’s decision including Georgia State Sen. Derek Mallow who told Fox News Digital that the judge “clearly exercised jurisprudence” by reviewing the case and finding the “best process to move forward” to “remove any presence of impropriety in this case.” “I think that is a good direction to head into, as this case does have merits and it needs to go before a jury,” Mallow explained. “And I think that the judge has done his due diligence in his ruling. That’s why you have judges, to make those type of rulings. I still fundamentally believe my role and opinion in all of this is that there’s a separation between the judicial and the legislative branches.” “Of course, I support the judge’s ruling for the case to move forward. I hope that the district attorney will make the needed separation there so that the case can move forward, and that the evidence and facts will come out, and a jury, the peers of all those involved, will make a determination and find guilt or innocence.” McAfee said in his ruling that the defendants “failed to meet their burden of proving that the District Attorney acquired an actual conflict of interest in this case through her personal relationship and recurring travels with her lead prosecutor.” “However, the established record now highlights a significant appearance of impropriety that infects the current structure of the prosecution team – an appearance that must be removed through the State’s selection of one of two options,” he wrote, adding that Willis and her whole office can choose to step aside, or Wade can withdraw from the case. On Friday afternoon, Wade announced that he is stepping down from the case in the interest of “democracy.”