The civil rights lawyer running to unseat Fulton County Judge Scott McAfee, who is overseeing former President Trump’s Georgia trial, is touting his pro-life and pro-gun views after opponents labeled him a liberal.
Robert Patillo, who is also a radio host and frequent television commentator, disputed those who label him a “Jesse Jackson disciple.”
“I am a Southern Baptist who is pro-life and pro-Second Amendment. I’ve worked with Christian organizations my entire life and believe in traditional family values, limited government, individual liberty and the Constitution,” Mr. Patillo said in an interview with The Washington Times.
If he wins the May 21 election, he’ll take over Mr. Trump’s racketeering trial for trying to overturn the state’s 2020 election.
Since Mr. Patillo announced his campaign to replace Judge McAfee last month, media pundits have labeled him a progressive. Megyn Kelly took to X calling him a “Jesse Jackson disciple.”
He describes himself as a conservative Democrat and says conservative pundits have incorrectly assumed his political leanings.
In the past, however, he worked as executive director of the Rainbow PUSH Coalition’s Peachtree Street Project and advised Rev. Jesse L. Jackson. Mr. Patillo has experience as a criminal defense and civil rights attorney in Fulton County and hosts a weekly radio show, “People, Passion, Politics,” on a talk radio station in Atlanta.
He said he is running to make the system fair for defendants in Fulton County, who often wait too long to go to trial. Mr. Patillo even noted one man had been eaten alive by bedbugs while awaiting trial in jail.
“While the court seems to be able to spend weeks at a time on various melodramas, there were 10 people held in the Fulton County Jail that died last year as a result of the long wait times to go to trial,” Mr. Patillo said, referencing the televised hearing Judge McAfee oversaw last month in alleged conflicts of interest between Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis and her special prosecutor Nathan Wade, who she dated.
“The primary responsibility of the next Fulton County Superior Court judge will not be dealing with either Donald Trump or Fani Willis, but rather providing justice for the citizens of Fulton County and clearing this case backlog to keep the bad guys off the streets and also protect the 8th Amendment rights of every citizen,” he said.
It was alleged Ms. Willis and Mr. Wade had a financial interest in seeing the continued prosecution of Mr. Trump and more of a dozen other Trump allies continue. Ms. Willis would pay Mr. Wade through public funds and then the two of them took lavish vacations together as Mr. Wade’s divorce from his wife was pending.
A defense attorney working on behalf of one of Mr. Trump’s co-defendants moved to disqualify them, saying the conflict of interest was prejudicial.
After a heated two weeks of testimony, which included allegations Ms. Willis and Mr. Wade lied in court filings about their romantic relationship, Judge McAfee ruled Ms. Willis could stay on the case, but Mr. Wade had to go.
The decision to allow Ms. Willins to remain on the case is being appealed. Mr. Patillo wouldn’t comment on the merits of the appeal, as he may have to take over the case should he win the nonpartisan judge race.
“My commitment to voters is to be the most fair and unbiased judge on the bench with a commitment to equal justice for all,” Mr. Patillo said.
Judge McAfee took the bench as a judge for the Superior Court of Fulton County in 2023 after being appointed by Gov. Brian Kemp, a Republican. He has experience working as a U.S. attorney and inspector general in the state of Georgia.
• Alex Swoyer can be reached at aswoyer@washingtontimes.com.
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