1 of 3 | Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis acknowledged in a court filing that she and another prosecutor in the election interference case are involved romantically, but said there is no conflict of interest. File Pool Photo by Dennis Byron/EPA-EFE
Feb. 15 (UPI) — A hearing is being held Thursday in Atlanta in an effort to remove Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis from prosecuting the election subversion cases against Donald Trump and other defendants.
Ashleigh Merchant, the attorney representing Trump co-defendant Michael Roman, began questioning prosecutor Nathan Wade over his romantic relationship with Willis. Wade later testified that romantic relationship ended last summer.
Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee shot down some of Merchant’s questions that have requested more personal details about their relationship, such as when they first spent the night together.
Later in the hearing, co-defendant David Shafer’s attorney Craig Gillen also sought to delve into the specifics of the relationship, including when they had sexual intercourse. At multiple points during his testimony, Wade reiterated that he did not have extramarital relations.
Merchant’s initial line of questioning was about her own relationship with Wade.
“Prior to this motion to disqualify, you and I were friends, correct?” Merchant asked and Wade confirmed. “I supported you when you ran for judge in 2016. I wore your shirts. My kids wore your shirts.”
McAfee cut off Merchant’s line of questioning, calling it irrelevant “in the best way.”
Wade testified that he and Willis have not cohabitated and that their relationship began around March 2022. He denied having a relationship with Willis or anyone else while he was married.
When Merchant asked why he didn’t file for divorce from his wife until November 2021, Wade explained that his marriage was “irretrievably broken” in 2015, but he wished to stay in the home while his children were in school.
Wade later revealed that he was being treated for cancer in 2020 and 2021, while the COVID-19 pandemic was at its peak.
“That prevented me from pretty much leaving environments that are sterile,” he said. “I had health on my mind.”
Merchant moved on to questioning Wade about sharing finances with Willis, bank statements relating to trips they have taken together and a foray into the difference between statements and receipts.
Wade noted that he and Willis often split expenses for trips, with him booking flights and her paying for excursions, for example. On some occasions, Willis would pay him in cash for her portion of these expenses. He clarified that there was no firm agreement to split costs 50/50.
Wade described Willis as “independent” and “strong” in reference to discussing who pays for what, noting that this is at times a point of contention.
“When you’re in a relationship — you’re not keeping a ledger over what you’ve paid for versus what she paid for,” Wade said as Merchant continued to ask about how expenses were split.
Steven Sadow, representing Trump, was the first attorney to ask Wade when his romantic relationship with Willis ended. Wade said it ended last summer, possibly in June, and they have not been romantically involved in any way since. It was the first confirmation that the relationship has ended.
“We’re very good friends,” Wade said. “Probably closer than ever because of these attacks.”
Prior to Wade’s testimony, Robin Yeartie, a former staffer in the district attorney’s office and a friend of Willis’, testified. Yeartie said she knew Willis and Wade to have a romantic relationship in 2019. She did not have any knowledge of them taking trips together or ever living together.
Yeartie left the district attorney’s office in 2022 when she says she was given the choice to either be fired or resign. This ended her friendship with Willis.
Wade’s former law partner Terrence Bradley also testified, though much of his testimony was mired in discussion of attorney-client privilege and what he would be allowed to discuss. He said it would be inappropriate to discuss Wade.
Roman, a Republican political operative, filed a motion in January to have Willis and Wade removed from the case, alleging they have profited from their personal relationship and the prosecution of Trump and the other defendants.
“As the layers unfold, it becomes clear that the district attorney and the special prosecutor have been profiting personally from this prosecution at Fulton County’s expense,” Roman’s motion reads.
Willis acknowledged that she and Wade are in a romantic relationship in a court filing responding to Roman’s motion, but said there is no conflict of interest. She goes on to allege the motion is meant to embarrass her personally.
“Roman seemingly anticipates a hearing that would last days, garner more breathless media coverage and intrude even further into the personal lives of the prosecution team in an effort to embarrass and harass the district attorney personally,” Willis writes.
“This is not an example of zealous advocacy, nor is it a good faith effort to develop a record on a disputed legal issue — it is a ticket to the circus.”
Roman, Trump and 17 others have pleaded not guilty to racketeering charges in their alleged effort to overturn the 2020 presidential election in Georgia. Four of the defendants — Kenneth Chesebro, Sidney Powell, Jena Ellis and Scott Hall — have taken plea deals in exchange for testimony against the others.
Trump, who is running for re-election, has called the indictment politically motivated.
The former president appeared in court in New York on Thursday morning, where a judge set a March 25 date for his first criminal trial, involving hush money payments to adult film star Stormy Daniels.
Trump is also charged in two federal cases, one over the handling of classified documents and another related to interference in the 2020 election and the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol.