Fannie Willis, the Fulton County District Attorney accused of meddling in the 2020 election in Georgia, admitted that she had a personal relationship with the special prosecutor appointed to handle the case, though she denied that it tainted the process against the former. President.
This Friday, Willis called the allegations against him “baseless” and “obscene.” Additionally, she testified that there was no evidence that the case was harmed by the relationship between her and Special Prosecutor Nathan Wade.
Willis asked the judge to deny motions from Trump and other co-defendants seeking to disqualify her and her office from the case.
Other critics of Trump and Willis have seized on allegations of a relationship to try to cast doubt on the legitimacy of the case.
The origin of the charges against Willis and Wade
Weeks ago, Mike Roman, a member of Trump’s re-election campaign and one of 14 co-defendants in a criminal case against the former president in Georgia, alleged in court that Willis had a “romantic relationship” with Wade.
Wade’s law firm has received more than $653,000 from the district attorney’s office since being appointed as an outside prosecutor in the case in November 2021.
Rome claimed, without presenting evidence at the time, that Willis may have broken the law by hiring Wade and then allowing him to pay for “holidays around the world” with her that were unrelated to his work on the case.
Wade and Willis, Roman claimed, were “substantially benefiting from this action at the expense of taxpayers,” prompting the defendants to disqualify the prosecutors and dismiss the charges against them.
Wade defends himself and Willis
In an affidavit accompanying Willis’ filing, Wade said that in 2022, he and the district attorney developed a personal relationship beyond their “business partnership and friendship.”
But he said he never lived with Willis or shared a financial account or household expenses with her, and that none of the funds he was paid as part of the job were shared with her, contrary to defense attorneys’ claim of a conflict of interest.
Wade described himself and Willis as “both financially independent professionals; “personal expenses or travel were divided almost equally between us.”
Wade said, “On several occasions I have made and purchased trips for District Attorney Willis and myself with my personal funds. On other occasions, District Attorney Willis has made and purchased trips for him and me with his personal funds.”
Trump is part of the indictment against Willis
Roman’s motion was later joined by Trump and another co-defendant, Atlanta attorney Bob Cheely, who also wanted the case moved out of Fulton County and the charges dismissed.
Roman’s attorney Ashley Merchant has said she plans to issue subpoenas for witnesses and documents to support her client’s allegations of misconduct.
Fulton County Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee, who is overseeing the case, scheduled an evidentiary hearing on the charges for Feb. 15.
Former President Trump also accused Willis (and prosecutors in three other criminal cases against him) of engaging in a political attack as he looks poised to become the near-certain Republican presidential nominee in 2024.
Willis, an elected Democrat, is up for re-election this year. The allegations could become a campaign issue.
