(NewsNation) — Attorney Ashleigh Merchant said she’s glad for a “chance to keep fighting” after a judge ruled Wednesday that lawyers can appeal a ruling allowing Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis to prosecute Donald Trump’s Georgia election interference case.
Merchant is the lawyer for Michael Roman, one of Trump’s co-defendants. In January, she wrote in a court filing that Willis’ romantic relationship with the special prosecutor who used to be on the case, Nathan Wade, was a “conflict of interest.”
Last week, Judge Scott McAfee said Willis could stay on Trump’s case as long as Wade resigns, which he did Friday.
“It’s like — you didn’t win, but they said, ‘You did a really great job, and everything you said was true,'” Merchant said about the appeal ruling in an interview with NewsNation. “My client didn’t get what I think is fair, he didn’t get the relief that I thought was fair and appropriate, so I’m disappointed in that. But I’m glad that we have a chance to keep fighting, because I do think that it’s the right result. I do think she should be disqualified.”
Merchant added that she appreciated that McAfee was willing to let an appeals court review his decision.
“It’s hard for a judge to say, ‘You know what, I’m not perfect,'” Merchant said. “I love that he did that… he’s not afraid to have it reviewed, and I think that’s a good outcome for us at this point.”
Willis and Wade consistently denied any wrongdoing over the course of their relationship. In a court filing, Willis acknowledged the two had a personal relationship but argued there were no grounds to dismiss the case or to remove her from the prosecution.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
