Willis’ office is leading a sweeping case of racketeering against former president Donald Trump
Today, a Georgia state court is hearing the closing arguments on the allegations that Fani Willis’ affair with Nathan Wade, a special prosecutor in Fulton County, benefited her financially. This should disqualify Fani from her case against Donald Trump.
Willis and her team are in charge of the racketeering case against the former President and 18 other defendants. Michael Roman and other co-defendants accused Willis earlier this year of hiring Wade when they were romantically involved. They also claimed that she took lavish vacations with Wade on his salary.
Willis and Wade both deny the allegations. They claim their romantic relationship began after Wade’s hiring in 2021. Willis testified in court that Wade would always pay her for their travels. One witness said that their relationship began in 2019. There are no receipts.
John Merchant, Roman’s attorney, said Friday that Georgia law was clear that the judge could disqualify Willis based on an “appearance of conflict”. He also stated that Wade “was part of the scheme that she intentionally created to give benefits to her boyfriend.”
In contrast, the state argues that the standard of disqualification set by law is a real conflict. After a short break, Fani Willis entered the courtroom and sat next to the lawyers representing the State.
Steve Sadow, Trump’s attorney, said that Wills’ comments in a church this month, insinuating that the affair allegations are racially based, were “calculated” to “prejudice defendants and their attorneys.”
Each side has 90 minutes to make their case before the judge.
Before Friday’s closing arguments, Judge Scott McAfee weighed in on whether the newly disclosed text message data – allegedly showing Wade visiting Willis’ home at least 35 times before he got hired – should be admissible.
Wade testified in court last month that Willis had not visited his condo more than ten times before being hired by the company in November 2021. Willis and Wade claim that their relationship started in early 2022.
Wade’s cell phone data suggests that he visited Willis twice late at night, but did not leave until the following day.
Wade and Willis both testified they did not share a bed at Willis’ Naperville condo.
The defense is trying to prove that Willis received any benefit from Wade and the extent of it. This is the basis of their argument for disqualifying Willis.
Terrence Bradley, a former divorce lawyer and partner of a law firm, testified this week under oath about what he knew regarding Willis and Wade’s relationship. Bradley testified after McAfee decided Bradley couldn’t claim attorney-client confidentiality.
Bradley said that when he was questioned under oath he couldn’t recall certain details and timelines of conversations he had about Wade’s relationship with Willis.
Bradley stated that he was unable to recall specific details or key information over two dozen instances during his testimony at Fulton County Superior Court Tuesday. He said that he only discussed Wade’s relationship Willis with Wade once.
John C. Floyd III took the witness stand earlier this month and confirmed that Willis had been taught by her father to always keep large sums of cash in her wallet. She claimed that Wade was reimbursed for his luxury trips from the funds she kept on hand. This is why she did not keep a record of these payments.
Floyd said that he had not met Wade before 2023, and he didn’t know his daughter was in a relationship with Wade up until seven weeks ago when the first allegations of Willis’s impropriety appeared in court documents.
Michael Roman, a GOP political activist and co-defendant of the Trump case, claimed that Willis was in a conflict because she had financially benefited from hiring her lover. Four co-defendants made similar allegations.
John Merchant is leading the defense’s effort to prove that Willis and Wade had a romantic relationship before Wade became DA.
Robin Yeartie testified that she had “no doubt”, after meeting Willis at a conference in 2019, that the relationship between Willis, Wade, and their children began.
Willis dismissed Yeartie’s testimony and stated that she no longer considered Yeartie as a friend.
One expert described Willis’ unexpected and “belligerent” testimony as the highlight of this two-day trial.
The judge threatened to throw out her testimony after she verbally sparred for hours with attorneys. She raised eyebrows when she appeared to be wearing her dress backward. The next day, she did not return.
McAfee stated at the beginning of this month’s proceedings that “it is clear that disqualification may occur if there is evidence demonstrating a real conflict or an appearance of one.”
