2 charges filed against Donald Trump in Georgia election probe dropped

FULTON COUNTY, Ga. (TND) — The judge in Donald Trump'selection interference case dropped charges that were filed against the former president.

Fulton County Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee dropped three charges in the 2020 case, including two criminal charges against Trump.

The third charge thrown out by McAfee was against one of Trump's allies.

McAfee wrote that punishing someone for filing certain documents with a federal court would "enable a state to constrict the scope of materials assessed by a federal court and impair the administration of justice in that tribunal to police its own proceedings." He conclude that those two counts must be quashed "as beyond the jurisdiction of this State."

The third count charges Trump and John Eastman with filing false documents, saying they "knowingly and unlawfully" filed a a lawsuit with the federal court in Atlanta while "having reason to know" that the document included at least one "materially false" statement about the 2020 election in Georgia.

McAfee cited case law that says complaints filed in federal court fall within the scope federal perjury statutes and said the charge must be quashed.

In total, five chargesin the original indictment against Trump have now been dismissed. In March, McAfee had thrown out six counts of the indictment, a ruling that prosecutors are appealing.

Trump's legal team responded to the judge's decision, "President Trump and his legal team in Georgia have prevailed once again,"Steve Sadow, one of Trump’s Georgia attorneys. "The trial court has decided that counts 15 and 27 in the indictment must be quashed/dismissed."

Buddy Parker, a lawyer for Eastman, in an email applauded McAfee's findings.

Trump now faces eight remaining counts in the case, out of the original 13.

A spokesman for Willis said prosecutors are reviewing the order and declined to comment

Editor's Note: The Associated Press contributed to this report.