Fani Willis’ pal testifies she saw DA ‘kissing’ Nathan Wade years before embattled lawyers claim
A longtime friend of embattled Fulton County DA Fani Willis testified Thursday she saw her “hugging” and “kissing” lead Donald Trump prosecutor Nathan Wade all the way back in 2019 — three years before the lawyers claim their relationship became intimate.
Robin Yeartie testified via Zoom she had “no doubt” the district attorney was in a relationship with Wade before Willis tapped him to target the former president in his election fraud case in November 2021.
Yeartie told a packed courtroom she had seen then-married lawyer and Willis “hugging” and “kissing” on multiple occasions.
The testimony directly contradicted prior claims by Wade and Willis, who claim they didn’t start their affair until 2022 — well after Wade was appointed as the special prosecutor.
Yeartie said she and Willis became friends in 1991 after meeting in college.
They ceased communicating in 2021 after she resigned from her position as a media rep for the DA in 2021.
Fulton County DA Ana Cross also suggested that Yeartie had an axe to grind against her former boss, getting her to admit on the stand that she would have been fired from her job if she didn’t resign.
Defense attorneys for Trump and his co-defendant in the case, former White House staffer Mike Roman, have argued Willis and Wade should be removed from the case because their relationship constituted a conflict of interest.
A fiery Willis took the stand late Thursday, and claimed she had been itching to give her side of the story.
“I’ve been in my office pacing,” Willis said, before accusing Ashleigh Merchant — criminal defense attorney for one of Trump’s co-defendants — of lying earlier this week as she argued for Willis and Wade to be forced to testify.
“You lied on Monday and yet here we are,” Willis said to Merchant. “How dishonest you were with the court on Monday, I’m actually surprised the hearing continued. But since it did here I am.”
Willis later said she found it “extremely offensive” that Merchant implied she slept with Wade at a conference in October 2019.
“I very much want to be here,” she said. “I am not a hostile witness.”
Her testimony is expected to continue until court is adjourned Thursday.
Some observers have questioned Wade’ qualifications for the high profile prosecution, noting he had no experience with complex RICO cases like the one against the former president and his co-defendents prior to his appointment by Willis.
He took the stand earlier Thursday, telling the court he didn’t become intimate with Willis until after she selected him to lead the case against Trump.
Wade said they haven’t slept together since last summer.
The attorney said he was battling cancer in 2020 and 2021 and was not dating anyone — including Willis — at the time.
The hearing is expected to continue Friday.
