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☆ Judge threatens to kick DA Fani Willis off Trump's Georgia election interference case if top prosecutor doesn't step aside
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-15 | by ( Haven Orecchio-Egresitz | Natalie Musumeci | Jacob Shamsian | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

A judge issued a disqualification ruling in Fulton County DA Fani Willis from Trump's election interference case. AdvertisementA Georgia judge has ruled that Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis can continue to oversee former President Donald Trump's historic state election interference case — but only if her top prosecutor steps aside. Related storiesThey both testified at a February 15 evidentiary hearing that the District Attorney has always been fiercely financially independent and paid her own way. The mere appearance of a conflict was strong enough to require removing either Wade or Willis from the case, he wrote. The judge gave District Attorney Fani Willis an option to recuse herself and her office, or for her top prosecutor to withdraw from the case.

Persons: Fani Willis, Willis, Mike Roman, —, Donald Trump's, Scott McAfee's, Nathan Wade, McAfee, Wade, SADA Wade, Ashleigh Merchant, Trump's codefendant Mike Roman, Merchant, Trump, Terrence Bradley, Bradley, Terrance Bradley, John Merchant, Adam Abbate, Abbate Organizations: Fulton, Trump, Service, State, Attorney, Roman, DAs Locations: Fulton County, Georgia, Atlanta, Trump's Georgia

CNN —Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis can stay on and prosecute the Georgia 2020 election interference racketeering case against former President Donald Trump and 14 of his co-defendants, Judge Scott McAfee ruled Friday, but only if she removes the special prosecutor with whom she engaged in a romantic relationship. CNN has reached out to the district attorney’s office regarding the next steps in the case. Wilis chose to dedicate much of her energy on what she believed was the most important case: prosecuting Trump for his attempts to steal the Georgia election in 2020. But the next 40 non-racketeering charges stemmed from roughly a dozen key incidents after the 2020 election. Trump and 14 of his allies have pleaded not guilty to all the charges in the sprawling racketeering case.

Persons: Fani Willis, Donald Trump, Scott McAfee, Willis, Nathan Wade, Trump, Willis ’, McAfee, ” McAfee, Wade, “, Wade “, Fulton, CNN Ashleigh Merchant, Mike Roman, Merchant, sully, ” Willis, ”, Wilis, Brad Raffensperger, Raffensperger, Mike Pence Organizations: CNN, Court, Trump, Jail, Department Locations: Fulton County, Georgia, Atlanta, reimbursements, Wade’s, Fulton, Coffee County , Georgia

☆ What We Know About the Relationship Between the Trump Prosecutors
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-15 | by ( Richard Fausset | Danny Hakim | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Merchant said that Ms. Willis and Mr. Wade, whom she hired to manage the Trump case, had been “profiting personally from this prosecution” at taxpayers’ expense. Merchant also said that Mr. Wade was underqualified, and argued that the entire indictment should be dismissed. A torrent of court filings followed, as did a number of dramatic, televised public hearings that had little to do with the indictment charging Mr. Trump and some of his allies with conspiring to overturn his 2020 election loss. Defense lawyers argued that Ms. Willis had engaged in “self-dealing” by hiring Mr. Wade to manage the Trump prosecution, and then going on vacations with him that he paid for, at least in part. Defense lawyers also accused Mr. Wade and Ms. Willis of lying to the court about some details of their relationship, including when it began.

Persons: Fani, Willis, Nathan J, Wade, Ashleigh Merchant, Michael Roman, Donald J, Trump’s, Merchant, Mr, underqualified, Trump, Willis of Organizations: Trump Locations: Fulton County, Georgia

☆ Attorney accusing Fani Willis of wrongdoing testifies before Georgia state Senate panel
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-06 | by ( Nick Valencia | Jason Morris | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

CNN —A Georgia state Senate committee investigating allegations of wrongdoing by the Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis heard more than three hours of testimony from defense attorney Ashleigh Merchant that largely went unchallenged by the mostly Republican committee and offered little to no new information about the claims. Merchant is representing one of Donald Trump’s co-defendants in the sprawling 2020 Georgia election interference racketeering case and is seeking to have Willis, a Democrat, removed from the case, possibly endangering the entire prosecution. Republican state Sen. Bill Cowsert, chairman of the committee, told CNN that endgame of the panel is, “to determine whether there has been improper behavior. They’re going hear the evidence…and I’m sure both sides will actually do their role in that particular situation,” Jones said. The panel can amend Georgia law or create new legislation but lacks the power to directly sanction Willis.

Persons: CNN —, Fani Willis, Ashleigh Merchant, Merchant, Donald Trump’s, Willis, Sen, Bill Cowsert, “, it’s, ” Cowsert, Democratic Sen, Jason Esteves, ” Esteves, Harold Jones, ” Jones, Wade, Jones, ” “, he’s, ”, CNN’s Jade Gordon, Shirin Faqiri, Olivia Laborde Organizations: CNN, Republican, Democratic, Merchant, Trump Locations: Georgia, Fulton County, guardrails

☆ Trump DA Fani Willis' credibility has been shot over messy testimony — but perjury charges are very unlikely: legal experts
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-06 | by ( Natalie Musumeci | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +11 min

DA Fani Willis' credibility has been damaged following a misconduct hearing, legal experts said. Willis' 'credibility is shot'Legal experts have long said that the hearing, and the relationship between Willis and Wade, doesn't look good for Willis. Rahmani said the distraction of it all is enough that Willis should recuse herself from the Trump case. On trips they took together, Willis and Wade testified that Willis paid Wade back for her portion in cash. Ms. Yeager heard District Attorney Willis tell Mr. Bradley: 'They are coming after us.

Persons: Fani Willis, Willis, Donald Trump, —, Trump, Wade, it's, Rahmani, Ashleigh Merchant, Trump codefendant Mike Roman, Nathan Wade, Wade —, Daysha Young, Andrew Evans, Alex Slitz, doesn't, Sarah Krissoff, Cozen O'Connor, Krissoff, Scott McAfee, McAfee, Terrence Bradley, Merchant, Bradley, Manny Arora, Cindi Lee Yeager, Cobb County , Georgia —, Trump codefendant David Shafer, Yeager, John Bazemore, Elijah Nouvelage, Mr, Trump codefendant Cathleen Latham, Arora —, Kenneth Chesebro, Arora, Adam Abbate, Abbate Organizations: Service, Fulton, West, Trial, Trump codefendant, Trump, codefendants, Merchant, Wade, Business, USA, Network, Reuters, District Attorney, AP, Washington Post Locations: Georgia, Fulton County, California, Atlanta, Manhattan, Fulton, Cobb County , Georgia

In Florida, meanwhile, a federal judge could push back Trump’s trial date in the classified documents case. Special Counsel Jack Smith and attorneys for Trump proposed moving the trial later into the summer in court filings Thursday. For Friday’s hearing in the documents case, scheduled for 10 a.m. Smith has highlighted a myriad of threats made against individuals connected to the documents case, including witnesses, government employees, an FBI agent involved in the initial Mar-a-Lago search and two federal judges, including Cannon herself. Attorneys for Trump and his allies are expected to argue that Wade and Willis lied under oath about when their relationship started.

Persons: Donald Trump, Trump, Fani Willis, Aileen Cannon, Joe Biden’s, Jack Smith, Smith, Walt Nauta, Carlos De Oliviera, De Oliviera’s, Cannon, —, Biden, – Nauta, De Oliveira, –, Willis, Scott McAfee, Nathan Wade, Wade, McAfee, Charles Mittelstadt, Terrence Bradley, Bradley, Ashleigh Merchant, Merchant Organizations: CNN, Trump —, White, National Security Council, Prosecutors, Trump Locations: Georgia, Florida, Fulton County, California, Belize, Caribbean

The text messages raise questions about Bradley’s credibility, and the degree to which Merchant appeared to rely on his claims that she was then unable to substantiate elsewhere. Wade and Willis have admitted to being romantically involved, but both have testified their relationship started after Willis appointed Wade lead prosecutor in the Trump case. Merchant had said that he would contradict testimony from Willis and Wade once he took the stand. “Why would you speculate when she was asking you a direct question about when the relationship started?” Sadow pushed. The additional text messages show Bradley calling Merchant his “friend,” offering unsolicited advice, and also bashing Willis and Wade, Bradley’s former law partner.

Persons: Fani Willis, Donald Trump, Terrence Bradley, Ashleigh Merchant, Trump’s, Bradley, Willis, Nathan Wade, Wade, Bradley’s, Merchant, Trump, ”, Steve Sadow, ” Sadow, ” Bradley, “, Merchant ., ” Merchant, ” “, Michael Moore, Scott McAfee, ” Moore Organizations: CNN, Trump, Merchant Locations: Georgia, Wade’s

☆ Live updates: Fulton County prosecutor's divorce attorney to testify in Fani Willis case
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-27 | by ( Dan Berman | Zachary Cohen | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: 1 min

Terrence Bradley, the former law partner for Nathan Wade, testified Tuesday that when he told a defense attorney her motion to dismiss Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis “looks good,” he was referring to a section about money related to his law firm, not about the allegations against Wade and Willis. “I think I remember there was a line of, about the accuracy of how much money that my office … had received and whether or not that was going to be in the motion or not,” Bradley said. Defense attorney Ashleigh Merchant said she asked Bradley to review her motion, which alleged an improper relationship between Willis and Wade, whom Willis hired to lead the investigation into Donald Trump and others.

Persons: Terrence Bradley, Nathan Wade, Fani Willis “, Wade, Willis, “, …, ” Bradley, Ashleigh Merchant, Bradley, Donald Trump Organizations: Fulton

CNN —A Georgia lawyer who had been billed as a star witness in the effort to disqualify Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis did not deliver damaging testimony Tuesday on her romantic relationship with prosecutor Nathan Wade. “I do not have knowledge of it starting, or when it started,” Bradley said at one point. That filing leveled allegations that Willis and Wade engaged in an improper romantic relationship from which Willis financially benefited. “Why would you speculate when she was asking you a direct question about when the relationship started?” Sadow pushed. That means attorneys can use it to bolster their legal arguments about whether Willis should be disqualified without witness testimony.

Persons: CNN —, Fani Willis, Nathan Wade, Terrence Bradley, Willis, Wade, Donald Trump, Bradley, –, “, ” Bradley, ” Ashleigh Merchant, ” Merchant, Scott McAfee, CNN’s Nick Valencia, ’ Bradley, Merchant, Willis ’, ‘, ’ ” Bradley, “ Mr, Richard Rice, ” Trump, Steve Sadow, ” Sadow, ’, McAfee Organizations: CNN, Fulton, Trump, Bradley Locations: Georgia, Fulton County, Atlanta, South Fulton

☆ Ex-partner of Trump's Georgia prosecutor once texted that DA Fani Willis 'absolutely' started dating Nathan Wade before he was hired
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-27 | by ( Natalie Musumeci | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

AdvertisementFulton County DA Fani Willis testifies at a hearing Feb. 15 in Atlanta on her relationship with Special Prosecutor Nathan Wade. And you said, 'absolutely,'" Merchant questioned Bradley, referring to the timing of Willis and Wade's relationship. AdvertisementFulton County Special Prosecutor Nathan Wade testifies during a hearing at the Fulton County Courthouse on February 15, 2024 in Atlanta, Georgia. "Why would you speculate when she was asking you a direct question about when the relationship started?" AdvertisementWillis vehemently defended herself and Wade and pushed back on testimony by her former friend that she and Wade started dating in 2019.

Persons: —, Donald Trump, Terrence Bradley, Nathan Wade, Fani Willis, Willis, Trump, Mike Roman, Wade, Bradley, Ashleigh Merchant —, Merchant, Alyssa Pointer, Steve Sadow, Sadow Organizations: Service, Fulton, Business, Trump, Fulton County DA, Bradley Locations: Georgia, Fulton County, Wade, Atlanta, Fulton, Atlanta , Georgia, Trump, Trump's Georgia

☆ Willis Prepares to Take Witness Stand for Second Day in Trump Georgia Case
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-16 | by ( Anna Betts | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Fani T. Willis, the Fulton County district attorney, will take the witness stand for a second day of questioning Friday morning as a hearing continues over whether her romantic relationship with the special prosecutor in the Georgia election interference case presents a conflict of interest. In the hearing, which will resume at 9 a.m., the defense is seeking to disqualify Ms. Willis and Nathan Wade, the prosecutor she hired to run the case against former President Donald J. Trump and his allies, accusing Ms. Willis of benefiting financially from the relationship. The argument has been pressed primarily by Ashleigh Merchant, the lawyer for Michael Roman, a former Trump campaign official and a co-defendant in the case. Ms. Willis and Mr. Wade have acknowledged that they had a romantic relationship but said it had begun after he was hired on the case and that neither person had profited from it. Ms. Willis is set to face questions from lawyers on the district attorney’s legal team and possibly the defense, and both sides said they intended to call several more witnesses to the stand.

Persons: Willis, Nathan Wade, Donald J, Trump, Ms, Ashleigh Merchant, Michael Roman, Mr, Wade Organizations: Trump Locations: Fulton County, Georgia

I’m not on trial no matter how hard you try to put me on trial,” Willis told defense attorney Ashleigh Merchant. It’s unclear when the judge might rule on whether Willis and her office should be disqualified from the case. Wade and Willis both testified that they didn't start dating until 2022 and that their relationship ended months ago. That successor could either proceed with the charges against Trump and 14 others or drop the case altogether. Willis and Wade's relationship was first revealed by Merchant, an attorney for Trump co-defendant Michael Roman, a former campaign staffer and onetime White House aide.

Persons: Donald Trump's, Fani Willis, Willis, Nathan Wade, Wade, “, I’m, ” Willis, Ashleigh Merchant, Trump, Scott McAfee, Robin Yeartie, ” Wade, Willis ’, Merchant, Michael Roman, ____ Richer, Adriana Gomez Licon Organizations: ATLANTA, Trump, Republicans, House, Republican, White, Associated Press Locations: Georgia, Fulton County, Belize, Aruba, California, Boston, Miami

☆ The special prosecutor in Trump's Georgia case says he's no longer dating DA Fani Willis
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-15 | by ( Natalie Musumeci | Haven Orecchio-Egresitz | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Read previewNathan Wade, the special prosecutor Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis hired to lead the state’s 2020 election interference case against former President Donald Trump and his allies, testified on Thursday that he’s no longer dating the DA. The attorney, in the motion, accused Willis of benefiting financially from hiring Wade because he paid for them to take extravagant vacations. Fulton County DA Fani Willis testifies at a hearing Feb. 15 in Atlanta on her relationship with Special Prosecutor Nathan Wade. For a cruise trip, Wade said Willis paid him before they traveled, and for other trips, Wade said Willis would pay him back during the trip. Willis appointed Wade to the case on November 1, 2021 — one day before he filed for divorce from his wife.

Persons: —, Nathan Wade, Fani Willis, Donald Trump, Steve Saddow, Wade, Willis, ” Saddow, ”, ” Wade, Ashleigh Merchant, Michael Roman, Robert Cheeley, Merchant ., Scott McAfee, Pool Organizations: Service, Fulton, Fulton County Superior Court, Business, Trump, Merchant Locations: Fulton County, Trump, Trump's Georgia, Aruba, Atlanta

☆ Fani Willis' longtime friend says the DA began dating Nathan Wade years before she hired him — contradicting his affidavit to the court
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-15 | by ( Natalie Musumeci | Haven Orecchio-Egresitz | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

The salacious details of the alleged affair between Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis and Wade have temporarily upstaged the charges against Trump and his co-defendants. Nathan Wade, the Georgia prosecutor who admitted to a relationship with his colleague, Fulton County DA Fani Willis, in court recently. "In 2022, District Attorney Willis and I developed a personal relationship in addition to our professional association and friendship," said Wade, according to the court documents. Wade testified that for any trips he and Willis have taken, Willis paid her share. "She's a very independent, proud woman, so she's going to insist that she carries her own weight," Wade told the court of Willis.

Persons: —, Donald Trump, Nathan Wade, Fani Willis, Wade, Trump, Willis, Robin Yeartie, Yeartie, Ashleigh Merchant, Michael Roman, they've, Robert Cheeley, Attorney Willis, Merchant . Wade, it's Organizations: Service, DA, Business, Fulton County Superior Court, Trump, Merchant, Fulton, Attorney Locations: Fulton County , Georgia, Fulton County, Trump, Trump's Georgia, Atlanta, Georgia, Merchant .

CNN —A hearing that could derail the election subversion case against Donald Trump and others in Georgia is underway as a judge considers whether Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis should be disqualified. It’s unclear if another prosecutor in Georgia would even be inclined to take up the case from Willis, given its political and legal challenges. Wade and Willis acknowledged in court filings that they had a personal relationship but deny any wrongdoing. McAfee called for the hearing Thursday to “establish the record on those core allegations” against Willis and Wade and their relationship. “We are focusing on what the judge asked us to show him – the personal and financial benefits that Willis got from Wade,” Merchant told CNN.

Persons: Donald Trump, Fani Willis, Trump, Willis, Nathan Wade, disqualifying Willis, Wade, there’s, Willis’s, Scott McAfee, McAfee, “, ” McAfee, ”, Trump’s, Mike Roman, Wade’s, San, Ashleigh Merchant, ” Merchant, ’, Merchant, Roman –, Terrence Bradley, Bradley, “ Bradley, Peter Skandalakis, ” Skandalakis, Norm Eisen, Obama, Eisen Organizations: CNN, Georgia RICO, Miami, Trump, Merchant –, ’, of Locations: Georgia, Fulton County, San Francisco, Wade, Fulton, of Georgia

NEW YORK (AP) — Donald Trump 's unprecedented tangle of overlapping trials was on full display Thursday with simultaneous court hearings in New York and Georgia. Tuesday's hearings previewed what a general election campaign will look like as Trump flies back and forth from courtrooms and campaign rallies and blurs the lines between the two. JUGGLING ACTThe New York trial will last about six weeks, according to Merchan. Asked how he planned to balance the campaign trail with the trial, Trump told reporters he'll campaign in the evening. Throughout his campaign, Trump has kept a far lighter campaign schedule than most of his Republican rivals.

Persons: — Donald Trump, Trump, Fani Willis, Willis, you’re, Todd Blanche, Judge Juan Merchan, Blanche, Trump's, politicization, ” Blanche, Merchan, “ We’ll, that's, he's, Nikki Haley, E, Jean Carroll, “ Fani Willis ”, Wade, Nathan Wade, “, Ashleigh Merchant, Michael Roman, ” Wade, Olivia Perez, “ Nikki, ___ Gomez Licon, Michael R, Jennifer Peltz, Jake Offenhartz, Kate Brumback Organizations: Trump, New, Republican, Twitter, THE, AS, GOP, Associated Press Locations: New York, Georgia, In Manhattan, Atlanta, Fulton County, Manhattan, Washington, South Carolina, York, ”, Florida, Texas, Miami, Sisak

A case charging former President Donald J. Trump and his allies with trying to subvert the 2020 election results in Georgia took a detour on Thursday into the details of the prosecutors’ romantic and financial lives — their sleeping arrangements, vacations and private bank accounts — in an unusual and highly contentious hearing. Lawyers for Mr. Trump and his co-defendants have argued that the Fulton County district attorney, Fani T. Willis, and the special prosecutor she hired to manage the case, Nathan J. Wade, should be disqualified from the case because their romantic and financial entanglements had created a conflict of interest. Ms. Willis and Mr. Wade forcefully rejected those accusations in testimony on Thursday, with Ms. Willis accusing the defense lawyers of spreading “lies.”“You think I’m on trial,” Ms. Willis told Ashleigh Merchant, a lawyer for Michael Roman, a former Trump campaign official who is a co-defendant in the case. “These people are on trial for trying to steal an election in 2020.

Persons: Donald J, Trump, Fani, Willis, Nathan J, Wade, Mr, ” Ms, Ashleigh Merchant, Michael Roman, I’m Organizations: Mr, Trump, Fulton County Superior Court Locations: Georgia, Fulton County

‘I’m not on trial,’ Willis saysWillis seized several opportunities to defend herself. She said at the beginning of her testimony that she was “very anxious” to defend herself, “so I ran to the courtroom.”“You think I’m on trial,” Willis said, in her sharpest pushback of the day. Video Ad Feedback Hear what legal expert thinks about Fani Willis' testimony 03:39 - Source: CNNWhen did the relationship start? Bryant-Yeartie said she observed “hugging, kissing, close affection” between Willis and Wade prior to 2022, when they claimed their romantic relationship began. Trump lawyer Steven Sadow asked Willis about the breakup, eliciting an answer that revealed sexist remarks that Wade allegedly made to Willis in the past.

Persons: Donald Trump, Fani Willis, Scott McAfee, Trump’s, Willis, Nathan Wade, Trump, Willis ’, Wade, Willis didn’t, McAfee, ” Willis, “ You’ve, Ashleigh Merchant, ‘ I’m, ’ Willis, “, “ I’m, ”, Michael Roman, Robin Bryant, Bryant, Yeartie, Clinton, salaciously, ” Wade, reimbursements Wade, there’s, smirking, Craig Gillen, ” Gillen, Gillen, Steven Sadow, ’ ” Willis, Sadow, Rudy Giuliani, Mark Meadows, CNN’s Zachary Cohen, Jason Morris, Nick Valencia, Hannah Rabinowitz, Maxime Tamsett, Shirin Faqiri, Jim Rogers, Sarah Davis, Eva Roytburg, Fabiana Chaparro Organizations: CNN, Trump, Electoral College, Trump –, GOP Locations: Georgia, Fulton County, San Francisco, Miami, Belize, Bahamas, New York, Atlanta, York

☆ With Everything on the Line, Fani Willis Delivered Raw Testimony
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-15 | by ( Richard Fausset | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Fani T. Willis walked unaccompanied through the front door of a Fulton County courtroom on Thursday afternoon in a bright magenta dress and announced she was ready to testify. She was interrupting her lawyer, who at that very moment was trying to convince a judge that she should not have to testify at all. “I’m going to go,” Ms. Willis said. In a raw performance, Ms. Willis, 52, presented herself as a woman in full — by turns combative and serene, focused and discursive (at one point she declared her preference for Grey Goose vodka over wine). At one point her voice approached a yell, prompting Scott McAfee, the mild-mannered judge, to call a five-minute recess in an apparent effort to cool things down.

Persons: Willis, “ I’m, ” Ms, Donald J, Ashleigh Merchant, Nathan J, Wade, Scott McAfee Organizations: Trump Locations: Fulton, Fulton County ,

☆ Trump DA Fani Willis fights back on the stand in Georgia election interference case: 'I'm not on trial.'
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-15 | by ( Haven Orecchio-Egresitz | Erin Snodgrass | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

You think I'm on trial," Willis quipped to a defense attorney. In a hot pink dress, and visibly displeased, Willis took the stand with an argumentative attitude and choice words for the defense attorney questioning her. Yeartie testified in the case Thursday, saying Willis and Wade began a relationship in 2019, contradicting his prior claims. Willis was verbose on the stand, cracking jokes and snapping at the defense attorney as she appeared eager to take back control of the case. AdvertisementDozens of reporters were squeezed into the back three rows of the downtown Atlanta courtroom, awaiting Willis' testimony.

Persons: —, Fani Willis, Nathan Wade, Donald Trump, Willis, I'm, Craig Gillen, Ashleigh Merchant's, Wade, Robin Bryant Yeartie, Yeartie, Donald John Trump, Scott McAfee, Alyssa Pointer, Mike Roman, Merchant, didn't, Trump, Wade vacationed, quipping Organizations: Service, Fulton, Business, of, Lawyers, Trump, Merchant Locations: ATLANTA, Fulton County, Georgia, of Georgia, Fulton, Atlanta , Georgia, Tennessee, Miami, Atlanta

☆ Fani Willis' workplace romance — and just how inappropriate it is — takes center stage in Trump's Georgia criminal case
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-14 | by ( Haven Orecchio-Egresitz | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

These accusations have taken center stage in Trump's criminal prosecution, with Roman's team issuing subpoenas to Wade, Willis, and half a dozen witnesses who have worked with them. The center of Thursday's hearing will be whether either prosecutor has a conflict of interest in the case. Roman's attorneys must prove that Willis acquired a personal interest or stake in the defendant's conviction — and that it is "actual conflict" and not simply speculative. Her lawyers have written that no financial or personal conflict of interest justifies disqualification — and pointed to two ongoing relationships between defense attorneys in the case. Attorneys for Willis and Wade asked McAfee to keep them both off the witness stand on Thursday.

Persons: —, Nathan Wade —, Fani Willis, Donald Trump, Wade, Willis, Mike Roman, Trump, codefendant, Scott McAfee, John C, Floyd III, Nathan Wade, John Bazemore, Elijah Nouvelage, McAfee, Terrence Bradley, Ashleigh Merchant, Bradley, Natalie Musumeci Organizations: Service, Fulton, DA, Business, luxe, AP, Washington Post, Attorney Locations: Georgia, Fulton County, Atlanta, Aruba, Belize

☆ Trump Georgia election judge may force D.A. to testify in disqualification hearing
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-12 | by ( Dan Mangan | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

The judge in the Georgia election criminal case against Donald Trump seemed inclined Monday to allow a subpoena for testimony from District Attorney Fani Willis at an upcoming hearing to potentially disqualify her from the case. Willis appointed Wade as special prosecutor for the Trump case. "I don't see how quashal can be imposed here," McAfee said, using the legal term for voiding a subpoena. McAfee also held off on ruling on motions to quash subpoenas for Wade and other employees of Willis' office at Monday's hearing. Anna Cross, the attorney who represented Willis at the hearing, said McAfee should quash the subpoenas.

Persons: Donald Trump, Attorney Fani Willis, Scott McAfee, Willis, Nathan Wade, Wade, Trump, McAfee, Trump's, Terrance Bradley, Bradley, Ashleigh Merchant, Michael Roman, Merchant, Anna Cross Organizations: Attorney, Trump Locations: Georgia, Fulton County

☆ Trump Co-Defendant Suggests Georgia Prosecutors Lied About Relationship Timing
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-09 | by ( Richard Fausset | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

A lawyer for one of former President Donald J. Trump’s co-defendants in the Georgia election case suggested on Friday that the two prosecutors leading the case had lied about when their romantic relationship started. Wade, had begun before Ms. Willis hired Mr. Wade. That would contradict Mr. Wade, who said in a recent affidavit that his relationship with Ms. Willis had not begun until 2022, after his hiring. The affidavit was attached to a court filing made by Ms. Willis. Merchant identified the witness as Terrance Bradley, a lawyer who once worked in Mr. Wade’s law firm and for a time served as Mr. Wade’s divorce lawyer.

Persons: Donald J, Trump’s, Ashleigh Merchant, Fani, Willis, Nathan J, Wade, Mr, Ms, Merchant, Terrance Bradley, Wade’s, “ Bradley, ” Ms Organizations: Trump, Mr Locations: Georgia, Fulton County, Fulton County , Georgia

“At times,” Wade said, "I have made and purchased travel for District Attorney Willis and myself from my personal funds. The motion alleged that Willis and Wade were in an inappropriate romantic relationship that created a conflict of interest. The filing seeks to dismiss the case and to have Willis and Wade and their offices barred from further prosecuting the case. Fulton County Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee, who’s presiding over the election case, has set a Feb. 15 hearing on Roman’s motion. Roman’s motion did not include any concrete proof for the allegations of a romantic relationship between Willis and Wade.

Persons: Fani Willis, Donald Trump, Willis, Nathan Wade, Wade, Trump, Brad Raffensperger, Democrat Joe Biden, ” Wade, Attorney Willis, ”, Willis ’, Ashleigh Merchant, Michael Roman, Robert Cheeley, Scott McAfee, who’s, Merchant, McAfee, ” Willis ’ team’s, Willis —, “, Jim Jordan, ” Willis, Jordan, Eric Tucker, Alanna Durkin Richer Organizations: ATLANTA, Republican, Trump, Democrat, Attorney, Court, . Rep, Committee, Department of Justice, Associated Press Locations: Fulton County, Georgia, Merchant, Cobb County, San Francisco, Miami, Fulton, Washington, Boston

☆ Trump's top prosecutor in Georgia admits to relationship with DA Fani Willis, but says they always went halfsies on travel
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-02 | by ( Natalie Musumeci | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

DA Fani Willis has admitted to having a personal relationship with the top prosecutor in Donald Trump's Georgia case. Willis hit back at demands to disqualify her over allegations that she had an "improper" relationship with Nathan Wade. "To be absolutely clear, the personal relationship between Special Prosecutor Wade and District Attorney Willis has never involved direct or indirect financial benefit to District Attorney Willis," the filing read. Nathan Wade, the Georgia lawyer who admitted he had a relationship with Fulton County DA Fani Willis, addresses the judge in a recent hearing. "At times I have made and purchased travel for District Attorney Willis and myself from my personal funds."

Persons: Fani Willis, Donald Trump's, Willis, Nathan Wade, —, Donald Trump, Michael Roman, Ashleigh Merchant, Wade, Trump, Wade —, Joycelyn Wade, Attorney Willis, Fulton, Roman, Robert Cheeley, Elijah Nouvelage Wade, Scott McAfee, Merchant, Joycelyn, Nathan, Fani Willis colluded, Rich Organizations: Fulton, Service, Trump, Fulton County DA, Attorney, Merchant, REUTERS, San, Atlanta Journal, West, Trial Locations: Donald, Donald Trump's Georgia, Fulton County , Georgia, Trump, Trump's Georgia, Georgia, Napa Valley , Florida, Caribbean, Fulton County, Atlanta , Georgia, U.S, Miami, San Francisco, Atlanta

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