A Georgia judge has announced that he will issue a protective order to prevent the public release of sensitive evidence exchanged between prosecutors and lawyers representing former President Donald Trump and his co-defendants in the criminal election interference cases in the state. The order comes in the wake of a media leak of confidential interviews conducted with attorneys Jenna Ellis and Sidney Powell.

The former president and others are facing charges of racketeering in their attempt to reverse Trump's 2020 election loss to President Joe Biden in Georgia. Prosecutors from the Fulton County District Attorney's Office sought the protective order in response to the leaked interviews.

During a hearing on the proposed order, Fulton County Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee emphasized the need for the case to be tried in the courts and not in the court of public opinion. Most of the defense teams agreed to the order, while attorney Jonathan Miller, who represents one of the defendants, argued against it, asserting that the public has the right to know what Ellis and Powell disclosed to prosecutors.

The judge's decision to issue the protective order aims to ensure that the evidence remains relevant and admissible during the trial. The case raises important questions about the legitimacy of the 2020 election and the public's right to access information related to it.