Fani Willis was accused of hiding the truth and her relationship with Nathan Wade in a desperate attempt to keep her job as district attorney in court Friday.
The accusations were made at Fulton County Superior Court in Georgia by lawyers for Donald Trump and his co-defendants, who stand charged with interfering in the 2020 presidential election and have been battling to get Willis thrown off their case.
Willis was accused of employing her one-time boyfriend, Nathan Wade, as special prosecutor, which the defendants say presents a conflict of interest.
‘Reaped the benefits’
Attorney John Merchant claimed during the hearing: “She put her boyfriend in the spot, paid him and then reaped the benefits from him.”
Willis and Wade have said under oath their relationship began in 2022 and ended the next year, but the lawyers for Trump and his co-defendants argue it started in 2019.
Attorney Richard Rice said, “They want you to ignore all evidence the relationship started in 2019.”
What to know about District Attorney Fani Willis' trial
- Fulton County, Ga., District Attorney Fani Willis is being accused of misusing state and federal funds, and also engaging in an “improper” relationship with special prosecutor Nathan Wade.
- Willis admitted to having a “personal relationship” with Wade, but said it didn’t become romantic until after 2022 due to the case against former President Donald Trump.
- Willis hired Wade to work on the Trump case and paid him $654,000 in 2022, according to Trump co-defendant Michael Roman.
- Trump and his co-defendants are looking to disqualify Willis from the case and to have all charges, centered around the state’s expansive anti-racketeering RICO law, dismissed.
- The defense has presented dozens of pings from Wade’s cellphone that placed it at Willis’ rented condo prior to 2022. A former friend of Willis, who owned the condo, has testified that she saw the two of them “hugging” and “kissing” in 2019.
- On March 15, a judge ruled Willis can stay on and prosecute the Georgia election interference case against Trump and his co-defendants for allegedly trying to overturn the results of the 2020 election — if Wade steps aside.
He noted Wade’s phone records showed the two exchanged 2,000 calls and nearly 900 texts in the first 11 months of 2021.
“I don’t think even lovestruck teenagers communicate that much,” Rice said.
The texts of Wade’s ex-law partner, Terrence Bradley, became key evidence after a message he sent seemingly confirmed the relationship started before Wade was appointed prosecutor in 2021.
But in closing arguments, Fulton County District Attorney’s Office prosecutor Adam Abbate said Bradley “could not pinpoint a time frame when the relationship occurred.”
He also said “Mr. Bradley had every motive to lie,” after he’d left Wade’s law practice under suspicion of sexual assault.
Abbate said Trump’s side hasn’t shown an “actual conflict” worthy of throwing Willis off the case.
One of the key points in the case is whether Trump and his co-defendants have to prove an actual conflict of interest, or simply the appearance of one.
While Wade attended the full hearing, Willis only appeared when Abbate was about to present his argument and left just as he finished.
Trump’s lawyer Steve Sadow insisted in his rebuttal, “Who’s motive in this case is the strongest? Fani Willis and Nathan Wade. Because . . . what happens if the relationship started before November 2021? They get disqualified . . . Who has the most at stake to lie? They do.”
Judge Scott McAfee said he hopes to rule in the next two weeks.