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☆ 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

Elijah Nouvelage | ReutersThe sprawling Georgia election interference case against former President Donald Trump and his co-defendants can continue if either Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis or prosecutor Nathan Wade removes themselves, Fulton County Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee ruled Friday. Fulton County Superior Judge Scott McAfee looks on during a hearing in the case of the State of Georgia v. Donald John Trump on February 12, 2024 at the Fulton County Courthouse in Atlanta, Georgia. Willis and Wade admitted to the relationship only after it was first alleged in January court filings for defendant Michael Roman. and the prosecutor engaged in an "improper, clandestine personal relationship" and that they profited off the arrangement at taxpayers' expense. But both Willis and Wade insisted their relationship posed neither a personal nor financial conflict, and Willis has decried related claims as "fantastical theories and rank speculation."

Persons: Fani Willis, Nathan Wade, Donald Trump, Elijah Nouvelage, Scott McAfee, Willis, Wade, Trump's, Joe Biden's, Donald John Trump, Alyssa Pointer, Trump, Steve Sadow, Pete Skandalakis, Michael Roman Organizations: Trump, of, NBC News Locations: Fulton County, Atlanta, Georgia, Georgia's, of Georgia, Fulton, Atlanta , Georgia

☆ A tempestuous day in multiple courts deepens Trump’s legal imbroglio
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-16 | by ( Stephen Collinson | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

Washington CNN —Every day, America gets dragged deeper into Donald Trump’s legal, political and constitutional morass. But at the end of a tempestuous day, his legal strategy was clearer than ever. In itself, it represents a profound political and legal test for American democracy and the rule of law – even if it is only one of Trump’s legal threats. In a normal election, Trump would be keen to turn his fire on his likely general election foe, Biden, by late March. But he will be forced to spend day after day in court in New York.

Persons: Donald Trump’s, Fani Willis, Trump’s, Michael Roman, Willis, Nathan Wade, ” Darryl Cohen, CNN’s Erin Burnett, “, ” Cohen, Wade, Trump, Caroline Polisi, Robin Yeartie –, Willis –, ” Polisi, CNN’s Anderson Cooper, –, ” Willis, Judge Juan Merchan, Biden, he’s, Alvin Bragg’s, Todd Blanche, Merchan, ” Merchan, ” Blanche, he’ll, David Weiss, Hunter Biden’s, Alexander Smirnov, Harry Reid, Smirnov Organizations: Washington CNN, Trump, Fulton, District, Republican, FBI, Burisma Holdings, Harry Reid International, GOP Locations: America, Georgia, Fulton Country , Georgia, Fulton County, York, Trump, United States, Manhattan, New York, Las Vegas

☆ 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

‘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

☆ Georgia Trump Case Pivotal Hearing Could Stall Prosecution of Election Interference
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-15 | by ( Richard Fausset | Danny Hakim | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +3 min

Ms. Willis and Mr. Wade acknowledged the relationship in a February court filing. Lawyers for Mr. Roman and other defendants are seeking to disqualify the two prosecutors from the case. Defense lawyers argue that the money paid to Mr. Wade creates an incentive for Ms. Willis to prolong the case. She said that the costs of the couple’s personal travel had been “divided roughly evenly” between her and Mr. Wade, so it represented no financial conflict. Judge Scott McAfee of Fulton County Superior Court, the presiding judge in the Trump case, was persuaded that there was sufficient reason to hold an evidentiary hearing delving into the relationship.

Persons: Donald J, Trump, — Fani, Willis, Nathan J, Wade, Mr, Michael Roman, Scott McAfee, “, Wade’s Organizations: Trump, Mr, Fulton County Superior Court Locations: Georgia, Fulton County, Atlanta

☆ Trump state prosecutions reach a critical point on the same day in two cities
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-15 | by ( Stephen Collinson | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

The high-stakes hearings nearly 900 miles apart speak to the extraordinary entanglement of the 2024 election and Trump’s legal quagmire that now spans multiple presidential elections. Thursday will not even be the first time this week that the ex-president’s legal plight is playing out in two separate cities. The ruling could remove Trump’s capacity to do business in New York — the city where he made his name. As the expected first criminal trial, the New York case could still have important political implications. But the impact of Trump’s legal problems on a wider electorate is still to be tested.

Persons: Donald, Trump, Fani Willis, Joe Biden’s, Scott McAfee, Willis, quagmire, “, ”, ” Trump, Jack Smith, Smith, Juan Merchan, Stormy Daniels, McAfee, Nathan Wade, ” McAfee, Trump’s, Michael Roman, Wade, Roman, Anna Cross, ” Willis, Michael Moore, he’s Organizations: CNN, Fulton, Trump Organization, Trump, Big, Big Bethel AME Church, Middle, Middle District of Locations: New York, Georgia, Fulton County, York, Fort Pierce , Florida, Washington, South Carolina, Georgia In Georgia, Big Bethel, Atlanta, Middle District, Middle District of Georgia

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

☆ 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 .

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

☆ Opinion: Fani Willis and Nathan Wade need to step aside for the sake of the country
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-15 | by ( Opinion William Cooper | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

“The optics are horrific,” Fulton County Judge Robert McBurney said about the fundraiser before disqualifying Willis and her staff from pursuing charges against Jones in July 2022. More recently, Willis admitted to having a “personal relationship” with Nathan Wade, a special prosecutor she hired to help with Trump’s prosecution. Wade hasn’t just billed Fulton County over $650,000 under Willis’ supervision; he’s done so in irregular fashion. Combined with his personal relationship with Willis, they raise significant questions, including whether any of his outsized earnings have benefited Willis. If Willis and Wade step aside, other competent lawyers can make the case that Trump violated the law.

Persons: William Cooper, Substack, Donald Trump, Fani Willis, Sen, Burt Jones, Willis, Robert McBurney, disqualifying Willis, Jones, Nathan Wade, Michael Roman’s, Wade, Attorney Willis, Trump’s, Brad Raffensperger, “, ” Trump, Raffensperger, team’s misjudgments, Wade’s, Wade hasn’t, Willis ’, ”, Scott McAfee, Trump, it’s Organizations: CNN, District, Republican, Trump, Attorney, Fulton County prosecutorial Locations: California, Fulton County , Georgia, Republican Georgia, Fulton County, United States, Georgia, Fulton

☆ Trump prosecutors' romantic relationship began years before Georgia election case, witness testifies
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-15 | by ( Kevin Breuninger | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

A Georgia judge presiding over criminal charges against Donald Trump is hearing arguments Thursday about whether to disqualify the district attorney leading the election interference case against the former president. The hearing centers on allegations from one of Trump's co-defendants that Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis and special prosecutor Nathan Wade personally benefited from their romantic relationship. The relationship began in late 2019, shortly after Willis and Wade met at a conference, Yeartie testified. Willis and Wade adamantly deny that their relationship presents a conflict of interest warranting their disqualification from the case. Trump has pleaded not guilty to 13 criminal counts in the Georgia election case.

Persons: Fani Willis, Nathan Wade, Donald Trump, Trump's, Robin Yeartie, Willis, Wade, Yeartie, Trump, Joe Biden's, Scott McAfee, Michael Roman Organizations: Fulton County Superior Court, Manhattan Locations: Fulton County, Atlanta, Georgia, Georgia's, New York City

☆ 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 has repeatedly referred to Wade as Willis' "lover” in attacks on the prosecution. But it could have the ability to delve deeply into Willis' personal and professional life and air any dirty laundry widely. The state Senate is led by Republican Lt. Gov. Willis was barred from prosecuting Jones by a judge after she hosted a fundraiser for a Democratic opponent. The panel also begins its work in a year when all of Georgia's legislative seats will be up for election.

Persons: that's, Fani Willis, begrudgingly, ”, Sen, Bill Cowsert, Willis, Donald Trump, Willis didn't, Nathan Wade, Trump, Wade, Michael Roman, ” Cowsert, Scott McAfee, Cowsert, Gloria Butler, “, Butler, I’ve, Brian Kemp, Burt Jones, Georgia’s, Jones Organizations: ATLANTA, Republican, Republican Georgia Senate, Trump, Roman, U.S . House Republicans, Gov, Senate, Democratic Locations: Georgia, Fulton County, Athens, Stone

☆ Trump Georgia prosecutor admits romantic relationship with Atlanta D.A. boss
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-02 | by ( Kevin Breuninger | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

said, but had "no personal relationship" in November 2021, when Wade became special prosecutor in the case. "There was no personal relationship between District Attorney Willis and me prior to or at the time of my appointment as special prosecutor in 2021," Wade wrote. "No funds paid to me in compensation for my role as Special Prosecutor have been shared with or provided to District Attorney Willis." "At times I have made and purchased travel for District Attorney Willis and myself from my personal funds. At other times District Attorney Willis has made and purchased travel for she and I from her personal funds."

Persons: Fani Willis, Nathan Wade, Donald Trump, Willis, Trump's, Wade, Trump, Joe Biden, Michael Roman, Fulton, Ashleigh Merchant, Attorney Willis, Merchant Organizations: Atlanta District, Fulton County Superior Court, Attorney Locations: Fulton County, Atlanta , Georgia, U.S, Atlanta, Georgia

☆ 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

“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

The House voted 95-75 along party lines for House Bill 881, sending it to the Senate for further debate. Monday's measure removes the requirement for Supreme Court approval. Trump on Thursday joined an effort by co-defendant Michael Roman to have Willis, Wade and their offices thrown off the case. Kemp has said he prefers that the prosecutor oversight panel and not the Senate committee probe any accusations of misconduct by Willis. But Democrats warn that removing the requirement for the Supreme Court to review rules could leave the commission itself without oversight.

Persons: Fani Willis ’, Donald Trump, Bill, Brian Kemp, Joseph Gullett, Willis, “, Donald J, Trump, ”, Sam Park, Nathan Wade, Michael Roman, Wade, Ashleigh Merchant, Roman, Martin Luther King Jr, Wade —, —, Kemp, Tanya Miller, aren’t, Houston Gaines Organizations: ATLANTA, —, The, Senate, Georgia Gov, Commission, Dallas Republican, Democratic, Lawrenceville Democrat, Atlanta Democrat, Republicans, Athens Republican Locations: — Georgia, Fulton County, Atlanta, Miami, San Francisco, Wade, Athens

“This has to do with following state funds,” said Republican Sen Matt Brass of Newnan. But the committee can't directly sanction Willis, and Democrats denounced it as a partisan attempt to try to play to Trump and his supporters. People can already be prosecuted for making false statements to Georgia lawmakers. Those are among the criminal charges that Rudy Giuliani and some others face for the false claims they made to Georgia lawmakers in late 2020. Most of the top supporters are Republican lawmakers who also publicly backed Trump's efforts to overturn Georgia's 2020 election results, including Republican Lt. Gov.

Persons: Fani Willis, Donald Trump, ”, Republican Sen Matt Brass, Brian Kemp, Willis, “, Democratic Sen, David Lucas, Trump, Michael Roman, Nathan Wade, Ashleigh Merchant, Roman, Wade, Martin Luther King Jr, Wade —, —, Republican State Sen, Brandon Beach, Rudy Giuliani, Joe Biden, Georgia's, Burt Jones, Jones, “ I’ve, ” Jones, I’ve, ” Kemp, Josh McLaurin, ” McLaurin Organizations: ATLANTA, —, Democratic, Republican, Trump, Republican State, ”, Republicans, Democrats, Gov, New Locations: — Georgia's, Fulton County, misspent, Macon, Atlanta, Miami, San Francisco, Brandon, Alpharetta, Georgia, New Hampshire

☆ Trump Joins Motion to Disqualify Prosecutor in Georgia Election Case
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-25 | by ( Richard Fausset | Danny Hakim | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Lawyers for former President Donald J. Trump on Thursday joined an effort to disqualify Fani T. Willis from leading the election interference case against Mr. Trump in Georgia, on the grounds that she created a conflict of interest by hiring her romantic partner to help prosecute the case. Mr. Trump’s lawyers also raised a new argument for ousting Ms. Willis, the Fulton County district attorney: that she violated state bar rules when she claimed in a recent speech that racism was behind the effort to remove her. The relationship claim surfaced on Jan. 8 in a filing from Michael Roman, one of Mr. Trump’s co-defendants in the Georgia case. Six days later, Ms. Willis, who is Black, gave a speech at a church in Atlanta in which she suggested that her critics were “playing the race card” by criticizing her hiring of the special prosecutor, Nathan J. Ms. Willis has neither confirmed nor denied a relationship with Mr. Wade, though she has been ordered to provide a written response to Mr. Roman’s motion by next week.

Persons: Donald J, Trump, Fani, Willis, Ms, Michael Roman, Trump’s, Nathan J, Wade Locations: Georgia, Fulton County, Atlanta

ATLANTA (AP) — Accusations that Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis had an inappropriate relationship with a special prosecutor she hired to seek convictions of Donald Trump and others for interfering in Georgia's 2020 election have led to renewed calls to remove Willis from the case. Merchant alleges that Willis' office paid Wade large sums and that Willis improperly benefited when Wade then paid for the two of them to go on vacations. Willis, an elected Democrat, has shown no signs of stepping down, but there are ways she could be removed. COULD WILLIS STEP AWAY FROM THE CASE IN ORDER TO SAVE IT? Many Republicans would like to see Willis investigated by Georgia's new Prosecuting Attorneys Qualification Commission.

Persons: Fani Willis, Donald Trump, Willis, Nathan Wade, Ashleigh Merchant, Michael Roman, Merchant, Wade, Wade's, Scott McAfee, McAfee, Robert McBurney, Sen, Burt Jones, Trump, “, McBurney, Jones, Danny Porter, WILLIS, it's, Porter, Norm Eisen, Barack Obama's, ”, Eisen, Mr, hasn’t, State Sen, Colton Moore, Bob Ellis, Fulton, Greg Dolezal, Cumming, ” Dolezal's Organizations: ATLANTA, Trump, White, Fulton, Georgia Republicans, Democratic, of, Atlanta —, Council, Commission, Republicans, Republican, GOP Locations: Fulton County, Miami, San Francisco, Fulton, of Georgia, Gwinnett County, Atlanta, Georgia, State, Trenton

MARIETTA, Ga. (AP) — A judge on Monday ordered court records to be made public in the divorce involving a special prosecutor hired in the election case against Donald Trump and others and accused of having an affair with Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis. The judge said records must be unsealed in the divorce case involving Nathan Wade, whom a defense attorney has alleged is in inappropriate relationship with Willis. The judge put off a final decision on whether Willis will have to sit for questioning in the divorce case, but delayed her deposition that had been scheduled for Tuesday. Willis has defended her hiring of Wade, who has little prosecutorial experience, and has not directly denied a romantic relationship. Willis has accused Wade's estranged wife of trying to obstruct her criminal election interference case against Trump and others by seeking to question her in the couple’s divorce proceedings.

Persons: —, Donald Trump, Fani Willis, Nathan Wade, Willis, Wade, Ashleigh Merchant, Michael Roman, Wade's, Joycelyn Wade, Willis “, Nathan Wade —, Joycelyn, “, ” Trump Organizations: Trump, White Locations: MARIETTA, Ga, Fulton County, San Francisco, Napa Valley , Florida, Belize, Panama, Australia, Miami, Georgia

☆ How Allegations of an Office Romance Came to Complicate the Case Against Trump
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-20 | by ( Serge F. Kovaleski | Richard Fausset | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Soon after her victory, she set up a group to interview job candidates called the Integrity Transition Hiring Committee. Wade, a lawyer and municipal court judge from the Atlanta suburbs whom she counted as a longtime friend and mentor. But in recent days, allegations have surfaced that Mr. Wade was not only a mentor to Ms. Willis, but also a romantic partner. The allegations appeared in a court motion filed this month by Michael Roman, one of Mr. Trump’s 14 co-defendants in the Georgia case. In an interview with The New York Times, a person familiar with the situation said the two had grown close after meeting in a legal education course for judges in 2019 — some two years before Ms. Willis hired Mr. Wade as special prosecutor in the Trump case.

Persons: Willis, Nathan J, Wade, Donald J, Trump, ”, Michael Roman, Trump’s, Mr Organizations: The New York Times Locations: Georgia’s Fulton County, Atlanta, Georgia

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