A former elections supervisor in Georgia charged in connection with efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election results has had her case paused. Misty Hampton, who faces multiple charges including violating the Georgia RICO Act, conspiracy to commit election fraud, and conspiracy to commit computer-related crimes, successfully petitioned for a suspension of her case pending the outcome of an appeal aimed at removing Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis from prosecuting former President Donald Trump and others.
The Georgia appeals court granted Hampton’s request on Wednesday. Hampton was the elections director of a rural county on January 7, 2021, and is accused of aiding a computer forensics team hired by Trump allies to access election equipment without authorization. The copied data and software were later posted on a server and accessed by an unknown number of people. Surveillance cameras captured the security breach.
Hampton is one of 18 people charged alongside Trump in August. Attorneys Sidney Powell, Kenneth Chesebro, and Jenna Ellis, as well as bail bondsman and Trump supporter Scott Hall, all pleaded guilty and agreed to testify. The remaining defendants pleaded not guilty.
Fulton Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee planned to move forward with pre-trial motions from six defendants not involved in efforts to disqualify Willis, prompting Hampton’s request for the appeals court to intervene. Cases against nine defendants who submitted appeals, including Trump, former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows, and former Georgia Republican Party chair David Shafer, were previously paused.
CNN’s national security and justice reporter Zachary Cohen described the appeals court ruling as a “pretty clear signal” to the remaining defendants who didn’t join the original appeal that the trial court proceedings against them “will also likely be paused if they ask.” He added, “If similarly granted, would officially put the entire GA election case on ice pending DQ ruling.”
The suspension of Hampton’s case underscores the ongoing legal battles and complexities surrounding the 2020 election investigation in Georgia. As the appeals process unfolds, the implications for the broader case and the defendants involved remain uncertain.